While we love all of our extension methods, there are certain transformations that are extra close to our hearts. Our Crown Extensions have such a deep impact on both the women receiving them and our team creating the transformation. If you’re not familiar with a Crown Extension, it is a hair piece that covers the crown, or top, of your head. They are a hair extension solution for women with thinning hair, areas of hair loss, and to provide more coverage in conjunction with traditional integrated extensions. Because Crown Extensions are one of the lesser known categories of extensions, we wanted to walk you through all the details—who they’re for, how they work, and the investment involved.

First up—the difference between traditional extensions and crown extensions. Traditional extensions are typically attached to the sides and back of your head. They blend into your natural hair because the top layer of your hair (coming from the crown of your head) covers up the extension attachments. If the amount of hair at the crown of your head isn’t dense enough to provide coverage to the back and sides, traditional extensions may not be possible for you. Enter: Crown Extensions. Crowns are a great option for women missing coverage or experiencing thinness on the top of their head. They can be worn on their own, or in addition to traditional hair extensions for more coverage throughout the sides and back.

There are two main categories of Crown Extensions. First, there are “temporary” crowns, which are typically attached with clips. They can be taken on and off each day. Temporary crowns offer more convenience as there is no in-salon maintenance involved, along with potentially lasting longer if you choose not to wear it every day. The second type is “semi-permanent” crowns. These have a variety of attachment methods, including bonding rings and integrated methods. Semi-permanent crowns require a much larger time and energy commitment. They require regular in-salon maintenance (every 2-4 weeks), and extra care at home as well.

If you’re wondering which of these might be right for you, we use a pretty simple scale to determine the answer. On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the most), how much does your hair loss, thinning hair, or area of concern bother you? If the answer is less than 7, we strongly recommend a temporary crown extension. If the answer is 7-10, we recommend the semi-permanent method of extension. There’s one other factor that plays into whether you choose temporary or semi-permanent. If you have lost 50% or more of your hair, integration would not be possible for you. Less than 50% loss still allows for integration to be considered.

Now for the details of Crown Extensions

Both temporary and semi-permanent crown extensions have a lifespan of 8-12 months. If you have a temporary crown and choose to wear it more sparingly rather than every day, it could potentially last a little bit longer. We do not recommend crown or any type of extensions for women still actively experiencing hair loss. The ideal time to begin wearing hair extensions is after you stop shedding. This is due to the extensions (whether temporary or semi-permanent) being attached to your hair. Attaching to your hair while actively losing hair could contribute to faster loss and may cause slipping of your extensions due to the instability of attachment points. The only exception to this rule is if your loss is in a particular area and the hair surrounding it is strong enough to support the extensions.

Let’s talk investment. Due to the detailed construction of crown extensions, the pricing is on average slightly more than traditional hair extensions. Crown extensions may also need to be created custom, which takes longer and can potentially increase the cost. Typically, the investment ranges from $2,000-$3,500. If you do not need a custom crown, the extension can be ordered and received typically within a few weeks. However, if you do need a custom crown, it can take up to 4 months for the crown to be created and received.

Finally, the time investment ranges based on the method of attachment. With temporary crowns you must be willing to take the time to put it on and style it every day (or as often as you choose to wear it). For semi-permanent crowns you must commit to coming into the studio every 2-4 weeks for maintenance. The maintenance appointments range from 30 minutes (for a “mini” tidy up) to a 3+ hours for a “full service” where the crown is removed and reapplied. You absolutely must be willing to commit to this maintenance schedule in order to ensure the health and integrity of your hair and extension piece.

Like all other methods of extensions, crown extensions are simply a category within the extension world. Because it is often a delicate hair situation, it is absolutely vital to find a stylist or salon that is well-versed in crown extensions. Candice has been trained in Trichology (the study of the scalp and hair), along with having extensive experience with several different methods of crown extensions. Our current academy team has a love and passion for crown extensions as well, which means that our education has included an added focus on this method.

If you’ve been told traditional hair extensions won’t work for you, or if you are experiencing thinning hair or have a particular area of concern, we invite you to fill out an application here!. Our passion is helping women find confidence and self-love through hair extensions, and we would love to share that with you. Let’s talk.