Do I have to be a professional hairdresser to start doing hair extensions?
- Thread starter Georgie Babe
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lucelasticx
Well-Known Member
Not wishing to be snide but the hair merchant i now buy from will only supply trained hairdressers and wigmakers!!!
Oh and no i dont feel that hairdresser need to be nvq level3 trained to do hair extensions but everyone needs the basics of a nvq level 2 qualification minimum or equivalent.
All we are trying to do is raise the standards of our industry and if getting a nvq2 in hairdressing would enhance your standards, business, knowledge, safety, client satisfaction dont you think it's worth considering.
Also most HABIA accredited hair extension courses are supposedly continual professional develpment courses for trained hairdressers , as there is still no legislation to license / register hairdressing it is not necessary for some training providers to require this.
persianista
Well-Known Member
My supplier only supplies trained hairdressers and wigmakers too. He had far too much ag from supplying non hairdressers.
One girl asked for a refund/ new lot of hair cos she put it in upside down, not realising there was a wrong/ right way up! Another one didnt use a drawing mat, dropped it on the floor and wanted a replacement!
There was a case recently where a large Liverpool salon was trying to sort out a poor girls hair after her mate had done some bad ext. They couldnt identify the glue that had been used, and couldnt shift it. Both the hair merchant and myself were involved in trying to work out how this substance could be removed.
The ext had set herself up in a little business, but ran out of resin. God only knows what she used- she refused to tell us. We got trading standards involved and she was prosecuted for H&S breaches.
Despite all our efforts, and the ext pro's in Liverpool, the ext had to be cut out.
One girl asked for a refund/ new lot of hair cos she put it in upside down, not realising there was a wrong/ right way up! Another one didnt use a drawing mat, dropped it on the floor and wanted a replacement!
There was a case recently where a large Liverpool salon was trying to sort out a poor girls hair after her mate had done some bad ext. They couldnt identify the glue that had been used, and couldnt shift it. Both the hair merchant and myself were involved in trying to work out how this substance could be removed.
The ext had set herself up in a little business, but ran out of resin. God only knows what she used- she refused to tell us. We got trading standards involved and she was prosecuted for H&S breaches.
Despite all our efforts, and the ext pro's in Liverpool, the ext had to be cut out.
Most but not all. HABIA accreditied companies go to hell and back getting the seal of approval and the company I trained with done this and is under City and Guilds too.. On there website they say you do not have to be a hairdresser and being in contact with HABIA and asking them too they agreed with the statement on the website. If your challenging HABIAS efforts and methods thats your choice.
I agree that baad extensions have been done and ethical or not your taking someones hair. If thats by taking advantage of there religion or the fact there poor.
Yes further regulations should be put in place but maybe a unique course that covers the relevant parts of the NVQ as some of us cannot afford to go back to college for a year or 2 to learn something I don't particually want to learn ie.. colouring and styling.
So I think agreeing to dsagree is the way forward... maybe an NVQ isn't the best way but one of the ways... There should be a short course ie 4 weeks that teaches you everything to do with extensions and that only.
Would you feel that this would be suitable?
lilgemgem
Well-Known Member
I am a hair dresser of 10 years and hair extensions for 7 and the company i get my extensions from, only sell to qualified hair dressers, i get a bit annoyed when people do extensions who are not hair dressers as it does give hair extensions a bad name, (bald patches etc) when the are done properly and have proper after care they do not damage your natural hair.
princessrach
Well-Known Member
Hmm I have read this thread with great interest and the debate seems to be ever lasting with regards to non qualified hairdressers completing short hair extension courses.
I doubt I will ever be able to fully support the idea of non hairdressers becoming hair extensionists, it's a specialised hairdressing module and I cannot understand on how someone can be fully confident and capable after a two or three day course . It also irritates me slightly that someone can go off and set up a hair extension business of the back of a two day course !
I think the fault ultimately lies within our industry where these Habia approved courses are offered and allowed to non pros, this needs to be addressed & changed and I agree with previous posters that some sort of legislation/regulation needs to be put in place to protect our industry and clients.
I doubt I will ever be able to fully support the idea of non hairdressers becoming hair extensionists, it's a specialised hairdressing module and I cannot understand on how someone can be fully confident and capable after a two or three day course . It also irritates me slightly that someone can go off and set up a hair extension business of the back of a two day course !
I think the fault ultimately lies within our industry where these Habia approved courses are offered and allowed to non pros, this needs to be addressed & changed and I agree with previous posters that some sort of legislation/regulation needs to be put in place to protect our industry and clients.
lucelasticx
Well-Known Member
4 weeks you really are having a laugh now arent you. You cant even learn how to diagnoise hair type and learn how to shampoo and conditon in 4 weeks.Let alone consultation and contraindications!!!!
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1. I cannot be bothered to continue with this rubbish to be fair coz it goes on and on and on and on and on and on!
2. did you know you can actually complete a full NVQ in hairdressing in 12 weeks!!
3. My friend is a hairdresser and she was attending college before qualifying 2 days a week whilst working in a hairdressers sweeping floors and making coffee to get her qualifications... for a year this is 90 days (accounting summer holidays)... 3 months = 12 weeks... So I think you should really go and complain to who ever taught you on hair dressing because 4 weeks so learn hair types! They was stringing you along!
4. Until its the law it is a proffesion that can be obtained via an accedited company and insured! Therefore totally legal! It clearly states on the website I trained with that both non hairdressers and hairdresser can train with them and HABIA supports this... if you wish to complain to Habia and rub them up the wrong way please do I'm sure they'd love to hear you slate them. And until it becomes illegal to fit hair extensions without an NVQ blah blah I expect that you keep a complete proffessional manner about yourself and turn the tape player off!
If this law was to ever come in I'm sure you will fight for against the Beauty Sector who do courses such as Spray Tanning, Eyelash Extensions and other private sector learning. Some of us are actually trying to provide a good service and have attended additional courses to make sure they are offering a better service than others!
As I said if this law arrives I will take great pleasure in making sure I claim every benefit going I can and when your fitting a set of extensions just remember your tax is going right in my pocket!
*****Let the recession live on!******
2. did you know you can actually complete a full NVQ in hairdressing in 12 weeks!!
3. My friend is a hairdresser and she was attending college before qualifying 2 days a week whilst working in a hairdressers sweeping floors and making coffee to get her qualifications... for a year this is 90 days (accounting summer holidays)... 3 months = 12 weeks... So I think you should really go and complain to who ever taught you on hair dressing because 4 weeks so learn hair types! They was stringing you along!
4. Until its the law it is a proffesion that can be obtained via an accedited company and insured! Therefore totally legal! It clearly states on the website I trained with that both non hairdressers and hairdresser can train with them and HABIA supports this... if you wish to complain to Habia and rub them up the wrong way please do I'm sure they'd love to hear you slate them. And until it becomes illegal to fit hair extensions without an NVQ blah blah I expect that you keep a complete proffessional manner about yourself and turn the tape player off!
If this law was to ever come in I'm sure you will fight for against the Beauty Sector who do courses such as Spray Tanning, Eyelash Extensions and other private sector learning. Some of us are actually trying to provide a good service and have attended additional courses to make sure they are offering a better service than others!
As I said if this law arrives I will take great pleasure in making sure I claim every benefit going I can and when your fitting a set of extensions just remember your tax is going right in my pocket!
*****Let the recession live on!******
persianista
Well-Known Member
Only someone with no knowledge or respect for our trade would say this.
Would you let somebody with 12 weeks training cut YOUR hair?
I trade test people with 2 years training and find their cutting unfit for salon standard on a regular basis.
I wouldn't really compare a spray tan to a restyle, they have rather different skill levels.
If a hair course is really that quick and easy, then I would have thought that anyone doing ext would love to do it, just because they LOVE hair as much as us hairdresser extensionists. They really would be able to call themselves hair pro's.
Anyway, am back off to the hair forums, because our "easy" trade generates an awful lot of questions and queries that as a PRO hairdresser I like to help with. A look round the forum would show you that even trained hairdressers find the subject challenging at times.
God i thought this discussion would have been over with by now.!
It makes me,and by the look of it many other professional hair geeks on here,v angry and frustrated that so many ppl think its an easy industry to be in.
It takes years of hands on experience to learn this trade and anyone who thinks its any different are v wrong.
I find myself defending the hair/nail/beauty world an awful lot to ppl who have what they consider "normal" jobs..................(i would love anybody in a so called normal job to spend a week doing our job and then maybe when theyre physically and mentally drained and exhausted at the end of the week,theyl actually respect us for what we do.
To the poster here that says shel claim benefits that our tax money is paying for if the new rules come into force,i think you have a very immature attitude to say that youl claim everything going.You should have some more self respect for yourself.
In response to the original question asked about whether you have to be a proffesional hairdresser to apply extensions,from mine and by the sound of it many other proffesionals point of views,yes you should be fully qualified..
It makes me,and by the look of it many other professional hair geeks on here,v angry and frustrated that so many ppl think its an easy industry to be in.
It takes years of hands on experience to learn this trade and anyone who thinks its any different are v wrong.
I find myself defending the hair/nail/beauty world an awful lot to ppl who have what they consider "normal" jobs..................(i would love anybody in a so called normal job to spend a week doing our job and then maybe when theyre physically and mentally drained and exhausted at the end of the week,theyl actually respect us for what we do.
To the poster here that says shel claim benefits that our tax money is paying for if the new rules come into force,i think you have a very immature attitude to say that youl claim everything going.You should have some more self respect for yourself.
In response to the original question asked about whether you have to be a proffesional hairdresser to apply extensions,from mine and by the sound of it many other proffesionals point of views,yes you should be fully qualified..
-sophisticutz-
Well-Known Member
I'm really surprised that professionals such as yourselves should be so judgemental about those that choose to specialise in extensions alone. Not all extension training turns out crappy technicians who will make their cients bald! How strange to think that it will.
There is absolutely no need to know all that you would learn in 18 - 24 months of hairdresser training to be an excellent extensionist.
Simple blending techniques are sufficient for most extension fittings and if the client wishes for restyling then that is not included in the price and she can be signposted to another professional who is trained in cutting extensions. Quite correctly it has been noted that cutting extensions is quite different to normal hair. The same techniques will not work.
Like any training it is important to choose a good quality course from a reliable company or trainer. There are courses which will not fit you for excellent fitting but willl leave you stumbling along making mistakes you don't understand. But not all One Day Intensives have that result.
I wonder how many of these courses you ladies have tried. Any? At all? Or are you basing your knowledge of them on a few tales that have been told. Sure there are horror stories from poorly trained extensionists but I've heard an equal amount about hairdresser trained salon fitters. Have seen some fittings that would make your hair stand on end on it's own.
So come on ladies by all means give your opinion, you are entitled to do that, but this is a forum for professionals and I would encourage you to behave professionally in our discussions. It is not professional to speak disrespectfully of others in your profession.
I am a trained and qualified hair technician and trainer in extensions. I am not hairdresser trained. I fit excellent hair extensions, blended in well and turn out good students competent in their trade.
I base my knowledge on working for the current No.1 hair extension company in the UK. I am a trainer in extensions and have worked in hair in many different ways for 22 years. I never once said I was an expert but a professional working in the industry with not only an opinion but have a lovely collection of photographic evidence from bad extensionists.
-sophisticutz-
Well-Known Member
Unless you have done a Balmain course, you can have no opinion of it. They are now the NO1 hair extension trainers in the country, so they can't be that bad. To do a Balmain course you need to be a TRAINED HAIRDRESSER!
Bleeding heart stories do nothing for me when protecting an industry that I have loved and have worked hard to maintain my standards. Wouldn't be great if we had this lax attitude to training PROPERLY and not cutting corners in all professions where you could cause physical harm to humans. Think I'll JUST become a Doctor.
