I need advice on hair extensions - please help!

[Plum Pea Dahl {★}]

I seriously need some advice/opinions on my hair extensions!  I got them three weeks ago and I've nothing but issues with them.  When I went in to the salon, the stylist colored my hair to (supposedly) match the extensions and put in 200 pieces.  Well, apparantley, she didn't order enough pieces (despite the fact that we had a consultation and she knew exactly what I wanted cuz I left a picture with her).  I tore out a picture of Kate Mara from a magazine.  This is very similar to the picture I left with her:

My hair looked like OK when I left the salon, but after I washed it, so much color came out; after three washes, the extensions were almost totally blonde and my natural hair was very dark auburn.  My short dark curly hair was poking out from underneath the extensions and it looked like shite.  I don't think I have ever cried over my hair, but I cried this time!  So I went back in a few days later and she put 70 more pieces in, which were of a darker color.  She said the blonde extensions would look like highlights.  Again, she curled my hair and it looked pretty good, until the next day or so and I noticed that it was still shite:

(Oh, btw, when we were done, she tried to charge me $70, but I had spoken with the owner beforehand and she told me there would be no extra charge.  I could tell the stylist was upset that she would't be getting extra $$$).

So, I e-mailed the owner about my disappointment and we set up an appointment for one day after work.  I showed up, but the stylist never did, despite the many calls and voicemails left by the receptionist of the salon.  I got a call later that evening from the receptionist that the stylist had lost track of time, so we set up another appointment for two days later.  I showed up a few minutes early and the owner told me that they had just found out the stylist's husband was diagnosed with stomach cancer.  I remembered that at the second appointment, she had mentioned that her husband was really sick and they didn't know what was wrong with him.  So now I feel kind of bad for her and I'm thinking she's been worried about her husband and her head just isn't in the "hair" game.  She put in more pieces and colored all of the hair and she gave a half-assed apology about not showing up.  Like I said, I felt kind of bad for her, so I told her it was OK.  And my hair finally looked good, so I was happy.

Well, within the next week, eight pieces came out.  The color has faded back to an almost blonde color (despite the fact that I've been using expensive anti-fade shampoo & conditioner from the salon) and last night, the ninth piece came out when I was brushing!  I spent a lot of time flat-ironing my hair and this is what it looks like today:

I called the owner last week to tell her that eight pieces had fallen out and she said she would call me back to see when the stylist could come in.  I still haven't gotten a call back.  Today I called a stylist at another salon that I've been to a few times to get her opinion.  I know that she also does extensions and she used to work in L.A.  She told me that she doesn't use the metal clamp kind because they're not that great; she uses a different method and you can't feel or see the clamps on your head.  Alas, because she doesn't do the kind I have, she can't really help me.

 

OK, I know that was a long story, and thank you for reading it.  Please help me figure out what to do.  I've pretty much given up on the owner calling me back, and frankly, I don't want this stylist to touch my hair again.  I'm thisclose to telling them to rip these f****** out of my head and give me my money back!  Then I'll head on over to the other salon and get extensions from the other stylist.  Or just have ugly short hair again.  I don't know!!  I'm so frustrated and upset, I just want to cry again.  I've been wanting extensions for a long time (tee hee - that's kind of a pun) and I was thinking it would be a fabulous experience and my hair would be gorgeous and it would be rainbows and sunshine!  :)  I paid $750 for this mess and I feel like I should have just left well enough alone. 

 

Are there any stylists out there who could give me advice or has anyone had a similar experience and what did you do?    Please help. 

 

Oh, this is the amount of hair that has come out:

 

[Cloe Cupcake {★}]

it looks to me by this last picture that the extensions were not attached to enough of your natural hair.... and the wieght of the weft may have  been too much for the hair it's attached too. In my opinion some one who has naturally curly hair should ALWAYS get curly extensions... so that they can still wear their hair curly, and when they do blowdry and flat iron it's more seamless. Furthermore, not showing up for an appointment without a phone call is just plain unprofessional, and telling a client that your husband has a serious illness is not really appropriate either.... the best thing I can suggest to you for now is to get a colour refreshing conditioner or treatment from a salon, like LaBiostetique Glam colour. try not to shampoo everyday and section the hair into small sections when flat ironing so you can get closer to the roots of your hair, avoiding the bonds of the extensions of course. OR curl them with a small curling iron to match your natural curl pattern. if you lose many more I would ask what the policy is on refunds for sure!

 

[Edson Carlos]

Use the share button and share this out on your social networks, email the owner a link to this thread and put em on blast stating you'll reveal the salon name if they dont rectify the situation.

There are pro stylists from around the world in here who will chime in for sure with input, what happened to you is just not right. From a business standpoint I can tell you that like Cloe said, customer service was a huge flop, a personal emergency is no excuse to not place a phone call to work. They basically had a plane with passengers buckled in and didn't know where the pilot was. Not ok.

[Plum Pea Dahl {★}]

Good idea, Edson!  And thank you Cloe, for your input.  She said that she was going to put in wavy extensions to match my hair texture, but they're not even close.  And I've only been shampooing two or three times a week to avoid fade; it's not working!

[Scarlet von Harlet {★}]

Giiiirrrllll!!! Get your money back, get them to take those out and go to the other salon! I'm so sorry you had to go through this :( No fun. I agree with what Cloe Cupcake said. That stylist didn't seem to pay attention to what would best fit your hair. I've heard the metal clamps aren't great and really only work for thick, coarse hair because they stay hidden but finer hair tends to need something lighter. I wish I had better advice but I only know hair from a customer standpoint. I'm sure there will be some pros on here tonight to help you out more. Best of luck and keep us posted!

 

 

[Jackie Doebereiner Kinney]

Wow... first of all that coloring was not right. Extensions are amazing if they are put in correctly maintained properly and removed right. I have been ski g them for 4 years before and after pics on my facebook. I do the keritian bonds ..

[Roxy Tart {PL Team / Comm. Mgr}]

Wrong type of hair, wrong type of hold, wrong stylist. Girl, you got screwed all around. I've had great extensions and horrible ones and I hate to say it, but at this point your only option may be to cut your losses. Next time, buy your own tracks, match it yourself, and try having them sewn in, it will hold much better. Also, if you're going to to dye your hair to match the tracks, dye it the week before and THEN match the tracks. One other thing,  I live in Oakland, in the ghetto, and I would NEVER go anywhere but here. To get good extensions, you need to go to someone who REALLY knows what they are doing. So make sure the stylist does them all the time, not just every once in a while.

[Scarlet von Harlet {★}]

Agreed. You want a good weave you have to go to a salon that does weaves all the time! I am looking into it and am fortunate to be in Oakland where there are salons that do extensions and weaves 90% of the time. Every once in a while you get a bad one. I've heard sewing them in sometimes gives you a headache for the first couple days but it stays in and blends in really well.


Roxy Tart {Madam} said:

Wrong type of hair, wrong type of hold, wrong stylist. Girl, you got screwed all around. I've had great extensions and horrible ones and I hate to say it, but at this point your only option may be to cut your losses. Next time, buy your own tracks, match it yourself, and try having them sewn in, it will hold much better. Also, if you're going to to dye your hair to match the tracks, dye it the week before and THEN match the tracks. One other thing,  I live in Oakland, in the ghetto, and I would NEVER go anywhere but here. To get good extensions, you need to go to someone who REALLY knows what they are doing. So make sure the stylist does them all the time, not just every once in a while.

[Plum Pea Dahl {★}]

Thank you everyone for your advice.  I ended up taking them out myself on Thursday night with a pair of pliers and help from my boyfriend!  I just couldn't stand to have them in any longer!  I had an appointment this morning to talk with the owner and the stylist.  We sat down for two minutes, I told her I would pay for the color she did, but I wanted the rest of my money back.  The owner said she and the stylist would talk in private and give me a call later.  So the owner called me a little later and said that the stylist did not want to give me my money back because she feels that she did everything correctly.  The owner said that she told the stylist she should give me my money back, but because the stylists are independent contractors, the salon cannot force her to give me my money back.  They offered me a $250.00 credit for future salon services.  I said no thank you, I will take her to small claims court!

[Miss1944]

It looks like you had Neo Hair Extensions in your hair. I used to do them at my salon, but ended up putting more time into fixing them than actually doing them. They break the hair as they fall out too, which makes growing it back out a pain. I once put a bright violet in a girl's hair and she came back because they faded to silver in 2 shampoos. After reordering them twice with the same results, I was embarrassed and just took them out. Don't let this bad experience scare you away from extensions, the Neo's are the worst!

[Kimberly Maayteh]

I know that this is a cheesy way out but... there are clip in hair extensions that you can put in yourself. Have a stylist show you how to use them. These are great because when you want long hair for a day you got it. Also they do not cost very much.

[Plum Pea Dahl {★}]

I've actually been considering that option!  I was browsing online last night and I found a couple of good options.  My hair is really short right now, so I think I'm going to wait til it gets past the chin before I buy the clip-ins.  Does anyone have any experience with this brand:  http://www.hairextensions.com/product.php?productid=8&cat=11&am...

Charlie Gurl said:

I know that this is a cheesy way out but... there are clip in hair extensions that you can put in yourself. Have a stylist show you how to use them. These are great because when you want long hair for a day you got it. Also they do not cost very much.

[Taylor Von Cupcake]

I agree with Charlie Gurl! The clip in extensions are easy! They stay good and you can curl them and everything! Any brand would be good as long as it is human hair! Good luck girl! Also if you are wanting you hair to grow out a little try to stay away from coloring it and the fusion extensions as well. You will have so many problems with you natural hair breaking off, and you are tooooo beautiful to have that happen!!