A HAIRSTYLIST has issued a warning after a client came in suffering from “appalling” extensions that left her with scalp sores and hair loss.
Jessica Thomas was contacted by an anonymous client earlier this month about the best practice for a hairstyle, with the client later opting for a cheaper mobile salon.
However, the Bournemouth-based customer was allegedly advised by the salon she attended to pre-purchase plastic extensions online, which she says later caused her extreme pain and discomfort.
Jessica, 40, was then left speechless when the client came to her salon It’s All About Length yesterday, where it was discovered that she was suffering from severe scalp sores and tension alopecia due to the bad extensions.
The client had previously taken to social media for help on Monday from locals, writing anonymously: “Hi. I had hair extensions put in (glue ones).
“I’m not coping with them in. Nothing to do with the hairdresser, she was lovely and I loved the length it gave me. Hair was very short.
“I’m autistic and am not coping with the feeling of them. It’s too different and it’s really affecting me.
“I can’t focus and can’t sleep. Please could anyone remove them tomorrow? And how much would that cost please?
“I need them out. I’ve tried myself with acetone from chemist – that’s what Google suggested. It didn’t work and I accidentally cut one off with pliers.”
Locals quickly came to the client’s aid, with Jessica rapidly booking her in to have the ‘hair-don’t’ remedied.
Jessica furiously took to social media yesterday to warn customers of malpractice.
She wrote: “Attention, all extension technicians. The individual that did this to this poor lady should be ashamed of themselves.
“Never in my 25 years of doing extensions have I ever seen such an appalling application. This lady’s scalp is red raw and there are patches of tension alopecia.
“This lady was sent a link to Amazon for her hair. (I mean, really?) And the bond was like plastic, not keratin at all. This gave me blisters removing this.
“The hairdresser was ‘fully booked’ and couldn’t remove it. B******s. This is exactly what gives this highly skilled service a bad name. Shame on you.”
The post received hundreds of likes and dozens of comments from many left horrified by the poor job.
Melanie Navarro wrote: “Imagine saying you can’t remove them for her because you’re fully booked. Must have been extremely uncomfortable – poor lady.”
Jess Mae said: “This happened to me from a woman called Jess. Was losing four a day.
“Had so many bald patches, didn’t give me any money back and didn’t even offer a treatment to help the balding spots.”
Teigan Whittaker commented: “I have had extensions for about three years now and never have I been treated like this.
“Whoever had done this should be ashamed to call themselves a hairdresser.”
Maddie Quinn added: “What the f**k? So the lady was told to buy the extensions herself from Amazon? Ladies, please run for the hills if you’re ever told to do this.
“A proper professional will have their own supplier and business account with them.
“I understand some clients prefer to source their own extensions but please make sure they’re from a reputable place/brand.”
Speaking to Jessica today she said: “So, this lady got in touch with me a few weeks ago, asking about hair extensions.
“She had damaged her hair from box dye and it had broken off. So, I gave her some advice and recommended what I thought we should do.
“I then didn’t hear from her until two days ago. She chose another stylist, which was much cheaper than me.
“No judgement, it’s hard times and we all like a bargain. However, when it comes to hair extensions, there is a huge lack of education and this service shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“She just wanted to feel better about herself and ended up feeling worse. She was in pain. She felt self-conscious and embarrassed.
“The hairdresser sent her a link to Amazon for the hair. It was awful. It had been applied so recklessly and tightly to the scalp.
“In less than a week, she had tension alopecia, scalp sores and the bonds broke her hair as we removed them.
“I endured blisters, removing this cheap plastic bond. It took me over two hours to remove but we got there. We did a nice gentle cleanse on her scalp after and a K18 treatment to reverse some damage.
“Hair extensions are costly for a reason and so many things can go wrong if applied incorrectly.
“People’s mental health can be affected by this, too. A lot of my customers have hair-loss, alopecia, trichotillomania etc.
“It frustrates me as a hair-extensions specialist. People just want to make quick money, without any consideration of the safety of what they’re doing.
“My lady was very anxious when she arrived, and I could see the upset in her eyes. She expressed that she is on the spectrum, and this really affected her mental health.
“She couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t focus on anything but the pain from her extensions. It was awful.
“My advice to people is to do your research. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your consultation is your entire appointment and communication is key.
“Ask about the materials – where they come from.”
