My Experience W/ Micro Link Hair Extensions // Why I Took Them Out.
- Posted on 15 March, 2017
- Microlink Hair Extensions
- By Anonymous
I got Micro Link hair extensions done in November 2016. I loved the way they looked, but they did do substantial damage to my hair and also brought up some unexpected emotions. In this video I discuss why I will no longer wear permanent hair extensions.
Hey guys and welcome back to my channel so today is Tuesday March 14th and I'm back in Victoria, and this morning I was actually supposed to go and see my hairdresser. I had an appointment to have my hair extensions maintained. If you weren't aware back in November, I made a vlog about this, but I actually had micro link extensions put in and if you've looked at my recent videos, like my hair's, a little longer right. So this is back to my natural hair, but I actually decided that I wasn't going to have them put back in and I just wanted to make a short video talking about my experience with the hair extensions and why I'm not having them put back in so, Like I said, I had them put in for the first time in November, and then right before I went in Hawaii at the beginning of January, had them maintained once and how it works. Is it's these strands of hair that they attach to your regular hair and they use this? As you can see it here, this little bead, so there's no glue or anything it's just they put the bead in and then they use a pair of pliers and smush. The bead, so it like clamps the hair to your hair with the bead and no the first time I had them maintained. I went to the the lady who did them and she actually took them out comb my hair out and then put them back in closer to my scalp and when she did that, I couldn't really see how much hair had broken off or how much hair. I lost, I was like oh yeah, it's fine and I just had her put them back in, but then, when I came back to Victoria on Monday night, I decided to have Denise take them out for me so that it would save time as a hair appointment Because it took her a long time to take my hair extensions out and comb it out and then put them back in. She was all Russian stuff. So, like all the time Denise use, these pliers take them out and I can comb it out gently myself so that I'm like you know not like ripping my hair out. So I'm like combing, it very gently getting all the like Madison and then that way. When I go and have my hair appointment, you can just take the extensions and put them back in and I'll just go a lot smoother. So I was prepared, for you know a certain amount of damage and breakage to my normal hair, because, like it's hair extensions, it's not going to be good for your hair there, no matter what kind of hair extensions you get it's going to damage your hair in Some way, but I thought you know it would be minimal and I was willing to take that risk because I just wanted to have long thick hair for a short period of time, which is something I wanted to experience. So, on Monday, night Denise took them out and I combed my hair out and I was actually pretty shocked at how much hair I lost. I would say that I lost about 25 % of my natural thickness, which is already like you know pretty fine. So I was yeah like I said I was willing to have some degree of damage, but the amount that I have hair that got damaged from just having them for a couple months. It'S just not worth it to me to keep keep having the extensions. Basically, my choice was to stop now and just kind of like gently, regroup, regrow my hair and give my hair like TLC and be able to still continue to have medium length, hair or continue having the hair extensions for another year or two whatever. Until my hair is so damaged that I actually just have to cut my hair short and I do not want to have short hair like I just I like long hair on girls, I just think it looks more feminine, and just I mean I think it looks Good on some girls, but it's just not for me, I like long hair personally, so it just you know. The risk of having to have short hair was just not worth it for me, so I really did enjoy having them in for the 4 months and like I thought they looked beautiful and they did make me feel confident in some ways, but in other ways they Made me feel weird, unexpected feelings that I want to tell you guys about as well. So when I was looking in the mirror, I was like I said like the way I looked, but I also on some level felt like I was rejecting a part of myself. I was rejecting my natural hair and it was almost subconscious like I was aware of it, but not at the same time, if that makes any sense. So like every time I would see get my you know, do my hair and like take photo or just like pass myself in the mirror and be like oh yeah, my hair looks great. At the same time, I would feel like I'm rejecting or rejecting my natural hair or like just my natural look, and it was also a full felt kind of self hating. In a way also, I felt weird meeting new people who hadn't met me before and had the hair extensions, because I just felt like I was misrepresenting myself somehow. I know it just sounds weird just hair. Just you know, my hair was just like longer and thicker, like everything else was the same, but I felt fake. Somehow I felt like I was misrepresenting myself and it made me feel uncomfortable, and it also made me kind of reflect on how I want to represent myself being a female in social media. So I follow a lot of women in the fitness industry and a lot of these women. Just look so put together and so perfect and so beautiful all the time - and you know they always have a full face of makeup. They always and seriously like probably like 90 % of them have hair extensions and breast implants. Not I'm not criticizing that you know. I wanted to experience that for myself, but for myself. Looking at these images, sometimes like you most of the time, I'm happy and I'm confident in my body and like I feel good but I'll have moments where I'll look at someone and I'll be like I'll, never be as good as them. I'Ll. Never look as good as them I'll never be as perfect as this person and it'll all kind of like feel kind of crappy about myself, and I just I don't want to be that person to you or to you know to whoever sees me like. I don't want to promote an unrealistic expectation of how a people should be. I have zero judgment for people who choose to alter their body in whatever way they want to that's their own experience, and obviously I did it myself, but I just realize now that that isn't the image that I want to portray going forward, I've been spending so Much time and energy over the last few years, really just working on loving and accepting myself, for who I am it's been such a journey for me and the hair extensions it felt weird it felt like. I was regressing along that path in it. It just didn't fit or a line with my goal in my purpose and honestly, I'm just kind of done with trying to live up to other people's expectations of me or my own expectations of how I think other people's expectations of me are. If that makes any sense - and you want it if this isn't good enough like if I'm not good enough, then I don't even care anymore. You know I was having this conversation with. My roommate in Hawaii drew about female body types, and I was asking him like hey like do you think that I look too muscular like not feminine enough, like you most? Would most men find me too jacked up and - and I was like - why am I even asking this I should just make my body look the way that I want to make it look for you know my tastes and like what looks good to me and screw What other people think and you know what so that's what I'm going to do from now on, and I am grateful for the hair that I do have if you're thinking about getting hair extensions or if you have hair extensions. I hope you got something out of this video. I think that's it for now. Thank you for watching, and I will see you soon. Bye,
Comments
Rachel Llamas: WOW!!! I experienced the same emotions with micro beads ! I had really long beautiful hair , and I killed it going blonde cutting it off , made me so depressed, I hated looking in the mirror with short hair, I swear I would have dreams of my previous hair. I got extensions and immediately felt beautiful again, just like you .. until I started to see the damage it was doing.. I took them off two months later,& decided to just grown my hair out& use very minimal heat on my hair weekly... I ended up leaving it in a bun, for about 1 year and now my hair is finally past the “medium hair length “ I always asked myself “ why do I dislike myself with short hair” there was more to it , it’s crazy how much of our identity is wrapped up in “just hair” Anyways , you are gorgeous any length of hair
Lauren bolena: On average you lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day, so it's not just the extensions to blame!
Salwa El-Boraei: I love this video. What you mentioned about feeling fake with it and having it be a misinterpretation of who you are is exactly my fear and hesitation of getting them. ( Btw even the most beautiful and “perfect” girl will look at another and want what she has. Being unsatisfied and wanting more is part of the human condition. :) xxx
J Do: This was inspiring! I've had really short hair all my life and I absolutely LOVE it but recently I've been considering growing it out. After watching this video, I realized the only reason I wanted to grow it out is to align with other people's expectations. Short hair it is :) Thank you for sharing your experience.
Bernadette Lopez: I love your review. I appreciate your honesty and emotion behind it and everything that you said, was absolutely true regarding our insecurities that we all have, and always comparing ourselves to others. It's important to love ourselves just the way we are. So, thank you for the reminder! :)
LinnyK: ❤️❤️❤️. As always thank you for your honesty, Christine! Part of why I follow you is because of your body positive message. You are beautiful and your spirit adds to that! Keep being you!!
DEANNE TEPEN: You're gorgeous! I love that you made and shared this video. It's a good reminder that we all should be happy with ourselves and not worry about what others think about us. Stop beating ourselves up over miniscule details. Be you-Be True!
S Ryan: Great video, I started feeling that way too about how I looked since I started doing so much HIIT. People kept commenting on how toned my arms looked but rather than taking that as a good thing, I felt too buff or masculine-looking. Then, I realized that was insane and was happy I could do push-ups! As you said, who cares?!?! If you're happy, rock it. I think you look fab.
Linda Salisbury: Thank you for a wonderful video. I had hair extensions and decided to remove them. They do cause damage to you hair. It was not worth it. You have to love your self first. Self confidence shows, it makes you who you are. Always love yourself.
Bets D: I have followed you for a few years now and I think you look incredible, beauty inside and out! Will enjoy watching you grow as long as you continue to share! You do you girl!
Jenis Guerron: This was such a touching video. I feel lost in who I am all the time because of the makeup, hair extensions, etc. I feel the need to always impress people. Thx for this video it help a lot. I’m not getting micro bead extensions thanks to you.❤️
Lpg 8: You have to do what works for you. I understand what you're saying because I feel that way about people who wear a lot of makeup and wonder if when they take it off, do they still look the same. But, you have to do what works for you and hair extensions, makeup or surgery should not be what defines you.
Syreta Boothe: Thank you so much for being so transparent with your experience. It is all truth. I can certainly relate!
Kaila: You look SO much better without the hair extensions. The extensions that were put into your hair just did nothing for you and for your look. You are gorgeous the way you are.
Northern Star: I can relate. I've got AA cups and people are always surprised when I say I wouldn't want any other way. Big boobs wouldn't be "me". I have extremely fine and thin hair as well. A lot finer and thinner than yours. I always dreamed of having extensions once in my life, but recently, when I stopped wearing make-up as well, I didn't anymore.
The Way: we lose up to 100 hairs on our head everyday and when you have extensions that still happens, but the micro links keep them attached to your head so when you take them out you see all those hairs you would have lost. So unless you see bald patches or super short(broken) pieces that weren’t there before, it might not be that you lost hair. Also most people get so used to having thick hair they forget how thin it was before and feel naked, feeling their hair is way thinner. Now with the fusions the glued ones, those might rip out hair since the glue can rip out hair. Also if the hair doesn’t get brushed it can get matted and their will be hair loss.
Mandee Lei: Love this and your channel. I watch a lot of YouTube and follow a lot of fitness ladies on here and IG and I know exactly what you mean... I knew it was bad when one day I started researching lip injections. I have never in my life even thought about that...just not an insecurity of mine. But my "normal" or "average" size lips started to look small compared to a lot of these women that have other naturally fuller lips or have had injections. Then I started looking at Botox and nose jobs, spray tans, etc etc.... one day I said... what if I just decided to accept myself the way I am. focus all that energy on being the best me I naturally can. work hard in the gym and on my mental well being. what if I decided it's ok to not look like these women. yes they are beautiful but so am I, and so are you. we all are. and for me, like you, I know if I had done any of these alternations I would look at myself and know I had decided instead that I wasn't good enough the way I was and that actually makes me personally feel worse not better. Anyway.. I just wanted to say your message today in this video and the other you just posted about breast implants meant a lot.
Mandee Lei: Love this and your channel. I watch a lot of YouTube and follow a lot of fitness ladies on here and IG and I know exactly what you mean... I knew it was bad when one day I started researching lip injections. I have never in my life even thought about that...just not an insecurity of mine. But my "normal" or "average" size lips started to look small compared to a lot of these women that have other naturally fuller lips or have had injections. Then I started looking at Botox and nose jobs, spray tans, etc etc.... one day I said... what if I just decided to accept myself the way I am. focus all that energy on being the best me I naturally can. work hard in the gym and on my mental well being. what if I decided it's ok to not look like these women. yes they are beautiful but so am I, and so are you. we all are. and for me, like you, I know if I had done any of these alternations I would look at myself and know I had decided instead that I wasn't good enough the way I was and that actually makes me personally feel worse not better. Anyway.. I just wanted to say your message today in this video and the other you just posted about breast implants meant a lot.
Anne-Marie Bordua: You look and always looked bomb to me! I'm happy for you that you had this realization! Keep getting strong and beautiful xx
Terry Little: You are naturally beautiful and in great shape! Your efforts are apparent. I understand the pressure between image and your own truth. I struggled with it myself. Thank you so much for sharing! <3
Mikaela Startup: Thanks for sharing Christine! I believe most woman look at each other in comparison to one another. I definitely catch myself wishing I looked more a certain type of way sometimes. It's something I've been working on! I absolutely love your workout videos and you. Keep up the great work. :):):)
Jackaleen: I understand you! You’re not alone please know that ok?! I have the same odd feelings at times, just remember we’re not perfect and we’re trying to figure out this thing called life! It’s all part of growing up! Thank you for the video you’re freaking beautiful!!
TheAnielak: Good for you for recognizing that! Be the best version of yourself for yourself
Tanya Shadyy: Oh I know what I mean! I am still fighting myself when it comes to my body image or my life choices and everything else. You remind me of myself because I learnt the hard way that the biggest critic who makes me questions everything and makes me be unhappy with myself is inside me! I read a few books that helped me to fight that side of me. I used to be miserable,unhappy and focused on many wrong things. It would start from my body image making me doing your 1000 calories workouts 3 times a week and go on into my University life that I am not smart enough to learn what I want to learn, that I am not smart enough to finish my degree...all of it resulted in hormonal mess up and binge eating...now I am on my way out of this hole I dug by myself ...Just want to let you know that I was sick of other people's expectations so I tried to isolate myself socially..but with time I realized that they were my expectations of what other people were expecting from me!! Turns out that if you go and ask these other people quite often they have nothing to say to you because they are so busy with their things they simply don"t have time to care enough to make some expectations!! I hope it make sense because it is confusing as hell..your "inner hater" just tries every way to get a hold of your life and this is of it's forms too! Good luck on your journey to self acceptance!
Aislinn Fegan: Such a beautiful person inside and out. I was going to get hair extensions and was going to book the appointment as i too have thin hair but i think i will continue using rogaine and let my hair heal itself without weighing it down with extensions. Your body is beautiful too so dont ever feel pressured to change it for anyone else
Heather Hunnicutt: Thank you for this, I got the micro beads in a few weeks ago because my hair is short and damaged from over bleaching. I thought the extensions would give me confidence but I'm actually constantly worried about how they look and it hasn't given me any confidence. The confidence I need needs to come from within regardless of my hair.
Erika Garcia: I know exactly what you mean when you explained how extensions made you feel like you were being fake. One day we will be able to accept ourselves completely at every stage of our lives
adaylmz: WOW I was trying to make my mind on getting hair extensions or not and I think this is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you so much, I think I'll just eat healthy and keep good care of my light brunette hair instead of going blonde with hair extensions!
Sarah B.: So glad they're out! Your natural hair looks great and much healthier.
Rosena N: this made my week. I'm so glad you're just going to be you that's what we all love
M. B.: You look Beautiful I totally agree Weaves & Microlinks can be very damaging!! Its not the healthiest thing we can do to our hair
Kelsey 123: To all the people saying the hair loss is normal, it is absolutely not. I've had nano ring extensions for just over 2 years. I had thick hair to begin with but could never get it past a certain length so went for extensions. Now 2 years later I have had them removed for good and it has damaged my hair SO much. My hair is thin now and if I lift up my hair where I had extensions it's very broken and short. I had a very experienced hairdresser too. No matter what anyone says nano rings do massively damage your hair over time as when you take them out you have to aggressively comb out the Matt's they have caused where the bond is, making you lose hair. Please if you're thinking of getting them, dont. It's a short term fix and will cause long term damage.
Kailee Mudra Selections Official: Im planning to get hair extensions this week until i watched your vid. Gosh. Thank u for ur honest review and ur amazing insight and reflection about our natural self. Im not getting hair extensions anymore. Thank u so much. Looking good but fake, sad n weird. Thank u so much.
Sunethra: You look so beautiful in this! Oh my gosh!!! Any guy is dumb to not want to be with you, men go get her! I found doing coconut oil (put in on scalp and hair 6-8 hours or even 2 min if you can) once a week, will help. It thickens the hair and helps the health of the roots. I have been doing it since 2004 and I really appreciated it! My hair is also fine but it got alot more volume and thickness! Hah talking about hair I dislike the fake eyelashes, hair, etc. For parties it's ok, and like you know 1-3 times a week maybe if one is really keen..I agree it takes away from the real beauty. Most women with their make up mask look bad. Your soooo pretty appreciate your all natural and if you use make up only enhances!
Kamila Garcia: Thank you for your honest review!! You look gorgeous either way! ❤️
Jannah Obaid: I so appreciate and love your raw and honest perspective and bravery in sharing it. You are too beautiful just the way you are. I totally understand about that feeling of misrepresenting and not feeling quite right about some of those beauty things. Fuck it indeed the whole stupid standard and stuff urgh. Thanks for the video Christine.
Emily Hastings: You're perfect just the way you are! Love your channel!
Sara: you're awesome! I've been watching your vids for while. I appreciate how authentic you are!
StraightEdgeVegannabel: i love and prefer your natural look, you are so gorgeous and a huge inspiration;)
fatiiyz: Wow! Your natural beauty, inner-strength, and integrity make you glowing. You're a true role model!
Sara Sossa: I always think of you like a great example for fitness in social media because you're natural and beauty and wonder in both ways inside and the structure body's and thanks alot for share that part of you with us
SunFlower LadyBug: Yes right on ! I totally agree with you, I loved your video it really uplifted me thank you ❤️
The14defjam: Thanks so much for this video. So many post on microlinks never mention the damage. You spoke to so many of my thoughts
Ariann Art: You look gorgeous either way long hair, short hair, medium hair! Whatever makes you happy is the best <3
Ally M.: I like how you said you are grateful for the hair you do have. Some women are losing their hair.
Ala Warad: yes you go girl you're on the right path for sure ... and come on !!!!!! you're GORGEOUSly beautiful
Sarah Rosenfelder: I'm a hairstylist and I got extensions about two years ago and they did pull out a ton of my own hair! I had a lot of the same feelings as you! I have clip in extensions, but I honestly never use them because I'm happier with my own hair. I've had clients that truly CANNOT live with themselves without extensions in 24/7 and it's a little sad.
sna ojao: Great message. The person to please is YOU!
Nathalie Burnett: Please help. My hair has always been my pride and joy. I figured since it is pretty damn healthy, it could deal with some bleach damage. And I figured the master stylist who did all the color-corrections would know how much would be too much. I was wrong, and now I want to burst into tears every time I look at my hair or touch it. I just don't know what to do. My hair has also NEVER been shorter than this and it breaks and falls out. What should I do to regrow hair?
tweety1028801: Glad you finally talked about your experience. I was really thinking about getting this.
Incredible wild squirrels: You are stunning. STUNNING! When I watch your videos I am usually thinking, "Damn, she's so pretty!" You do you well ;)
Amy Rudloff: Coming from a hairdresser you also have to realize your hair sheds... 80-100 strands A DAY! So with those hair extensions & the beads clamped to some of those hairs doesn’t allow to shed.
Ada crossman: This happened to me when I bad tape ins in, I switched to clip ins... and was considering micro links but not anymore
Vixanne Darkfairy: I agree that you should make your body the way YOU want it and not care about what other people think. After all, you're the one who has to live in it!
Miss Tiffany Galore: Good for you. You earned it. Best lesson is bought lesson
Regan durkin: micro links completely destroyed my hair. I only had them in for two months and when I took them out half my hair is gone and I barely have any left. worst decision ever
Yohanna Guerra: you are a beautiful human being inside out. <3
Ulrika Andersson: I think that one of the reasons why I follow your youtube channel is because you are so natural and authentique. You make me believe I too can work my body, eat good food and get great muscles. You are the best!!
Mariangela: I think you look way nicer with just your natural hair :)
Sarah Milner: Omg I know this is 3 yrs old but this is my situation now I had to take out my own.. The damage is baaad. I would say I lost 50 percent and it was already waaay finer than yours And I feel bald now and I've no hair my hair needs so much tlc now.. Any advice?
Ingrid C: come on!!!!! a hair will not change who you are. it is always go a change i and hungry for that and i will embrace it no matter how different i look i will look my self in an upgrade way. That is the thinking girl!!!!female up come one!!!!
Celena Sanchez: Love this Christine your beautiful the way you are
Fashionably Late: Micro links are really bad for your hair. I’ve had it done and my hair was falling out due to the tension on the scalp. All extensions will cause damage
cherishdeb: Glad I watched this before getting microlinks!
Vanessa Otvos: Christine, you have a such amanzing face, and your eyes are so bright blue...girl, you are really gorgeus!!! and your natural hair is perfect on you!!! Kisses from Brazil :):)
Jennifer Yvonne: Wow. You are very very syunning! And that looks like a moonstone pendant !!<3
Gone with the Kale: Honestly, I never even noticed, lol. You look the same and as beautiful as always, imo.
Natalie B: too jacked? throughout the video i was jelly of your arms & shoulders, you look insanely toned yet not 'too masculine'. but i know how you feel, i've been struggling with ed and body image (again ughhh) in the last couple of months, which is always super distressing for me, even though i thought i left all of that behind me. it's very easy to get sucked back into obsessing over one's physical appearance, especially if you have a very perfectionistic personality... :/ as for the hair part: i think you definitely made the right decision. i have dreads and i feel as if i have major hair damage & the only way to get rid of the dreads is to shave my head so yeah... :D i've been putting that off for a long time now, and i actually think i'll be wearing a wig once i do it.
Kashi Star: Damn! I want hair extensions but I just know my hair would all break off.
Backwoods Beautiful Beauty: Hair extensions did not do that. That's shedded hair. You loose many hairs everyday you just don't realized it. When micro links are in your shedded hair doesn't fall out. It stays put until the bead is removed. So when you brush out the hair it finally is able to come out. Another note. How are you rejecting yourself for having hair extensions?? It's nothing different them getting your nails done. It just sound like someone with confidence issues. Who cares if you have hair extensions? Fake Nails, boobs whatever. Be you
plmrcn: I get that you did not feel good while wearing extensions. To each his own. But I am curious about something. Do you feel “fake” or “crappy” when you color your hair, put on lipstick or eyeliner? It’s funny what society tells us about what is fake and what is authentic. Hair extensions are a way to enhance your look but just like some people prefer to just let their hair go gray and others will color it, both people are authentic and should have the courage to own their choices..Empowered women are those who make choices based on what is best for them, not based on what society says is accepted.
Autumn Bradley: I am scared to remove mine out. When they move them up after there is so much hair everywhere
Bernarda Valković: You are a beautiful person ❤ With or without hair extensions
Rose Heinel: Looks much nicer without the weight of the extensions.
plmrcn: The hair was removed improperly, that has nothing to do with the extensions.
Rida Tahir: I can literally feel you...
Daisy A: Love your video very helpful
Nina Lagler: U are beutiful, u go girl!
Kelsey: You go Christine!!!!! What about the dreadlocks??
Ry Frances: You’re awesome!
probably asleep: Oh my god i was gonna get red textentions in today thank you for making this video
Erin M: 100 to 300 hairs a day is normal. 100 hairs a day in your brush looks like more. X’s that by 4 months. Your hair still had to shed. It just was crimped to a bead still so you shed all that at one time. Your hair is constantly growing. When you don’t shed is when u shd be worried. I’d like to see multiple pictures of you before and after
She_Citrine: if i had hair like urs i wud nvr hv hair extensions..u r just so btful as is....
Eli4shawt: check out kibbie body typing because that cleared a lot of body image stuff for me as far as men and women and yin and yang, varying degrees of masculinity and feminity that we are meant to have
goldencharms1: Any hair left in extensions for 4 months would have damage
Koen Allena: Nothing to do with the extensions. Please check your facts.
maite maite: I really like your hair more without the extensions. Not that it matters, but it's really beautiful. Wish I had your hair.
Fiuciuc Mijaela: I just took out my extensions after 5 months! Just think that all the hair that you should lose , stays there for how long you keep them and of course an amount of hair that you probably lose when you took them out ! I think is normal ! Sorry for my english !!
Vanessa M. V: did it break off at the root or down lower ?
Beached whale: Awesome testimony
Essence C Terrell: You're so gorgeous
Jannie R: You are beautiful. We must also not forget that our health is important too. Four years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. During my mastectomy, they found I also have Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. I am grateful to be alive and have hair. I do my best with what I have been given. We are enough because we are! I do what makes me happy and brings me joy.
Shozzy: <3
Plug 14: Do you colour your hair in anyway? If you do isn’t that rejecting your natural self too. Or make up that’s not your natural self either or pluck your eyebrows . I don’t understand what you mean?
Desaire Ring: You sound like a self loving narcissist. Good for you that you're too good for extensions. Your video didn't help me in my journey to learning about exstensions at all.