Journal

How much do hair extensions cost?

Most salon sites will not answer this. Alisa publishes the range, which is the whole reason her inbox is not full of the wrong enquiries.

Written by Alisa Pose · Great Lengths certified · 20 years in extensions

Extension wefts and product laid out beside a Vogue book.

The range

Extension services run $1,200 to $3,000 and above. That is the honest band, and it is published rather than quoted only after you have come in. Where you land inside it is decided by two things: the method, and how much hair you need.

What moves the number

Amount of hair is the biggest factor. Length and density both increase it, and thick hair often needs more, not less, because the extensions have to match what is already there. Method matters too: a strand-by-strand keratin fusion install is the longest time in the chair, and time is part of the price. A tape row goes in under an hour.

Why the first appointment costs more

Because you are buying the hair. After that, you are paying for maintenance. All five methods are reusable with professional care, so a move-up costs a fraction of the initial install. Tape row hair is reusable up to a year. Wefts are reused through multiple move-ups. Budget for the first appointment, then for a move-up every six to eight weeks on wefts.

On financing, and on cheaper quotes

Financing can be discussed at consultation. On cheaper quotes, the thing worth knowing is that the cost is mostly hair and mostly time, so a much lower price usually means less of one or both. That is not always wrong, but it should be a decision rather than a surprise.

Common questions