Caring For Grown Out Tape Ins (and Removal)

All our lives have been torn upside down by COVID-19 but for those that wear tape in extensions, there is always one more thing to worry about: How do I maintain my extensions during all of this? Going into a salon is out of the question, and for some people tape in extensions may need to come out in a few weeks. By this point, many extension wearers are noticing significant outgrowth, and special care may be required to prevent slippage and help get them through a few additional weeks before salons open back up. Typically, tape in extensions last 6-8 weeks before a removal and reinstall service is recommended. Many fear that the stay at home order will last longer than April 30, and if that happens, they will have no choice but to remove their extensions at home or wait for their salon to open again. I have a few clients who are in this situation, and I know so many other people fall into this category. At my salon, I use Aqua tape in extensions because I love the quality, medical grade tape, and seamless remover. Even if you don’t use my preferred brand, this information applies to all tape ins, and I am here for you with some tips to help stretch out the weeks, and even guide you in removing your tape ins if it comes to that.

Believe it or not, there is an art to simply washing, brushing, and drying tape in extensions that will give you longer lasting results. Let me walk you through the process step by step.

Washing

Before washing be sure to brush your hair to prevent any unnecessary tangles, and only wash 2-3 times per week. Never go to sleep with wet hair or let the hair remain wet for a long period of time. The tape is most fragile when the hair is wet, and slippage may occur.
Use sulfate and protein free shampoo and conditioner to ensure the tape adhesive will not be compromised during washing. Wet the hair first, then apply shampoo to the root area lightly massaging between tape panels and separating them well to remove oils from the scalp. Rinse and repeat if necessary. Be sure not to vigorously scrub the hair to prevent tangles.
Apply conditioner to the ends only. Avoid the root area and the tape specifically. You can always use a leave in conditioner after the shower to help hydrate and detangle hair if needed. I like to use Aqua Multi Benefits Leave in Conditioner with extensions. It is free of alcohol, protein, and sulfates which will not compromise the tape and will keep it strong and intact. Bonus: It also reduces frizz and protects against heat, UV, and humidity.

Brushing

After washing, do not use the towel and dry your hair aggressively or flip upside down, rather use the towel to gently squeeze and press your hair to towel dry. Speaking of towels, I am obsessed with the AQUIS Hair Towel. This towel seriously cuts the blow dry time by 50% thanks to a wicking fabric called Aquitex. This fabric prevents stretching and swelling of wet hair that makes it vulnerable to frizz, split ends, and damage.
Make sure you are using the right tools for brushing and detangling your extensions after a wash. On wet hair, I recommend a wide tooth comb, or a wet/dry detangle brush, or a boar-bristle brush for wet or dry hair.
Holding the panels/tape with one hand, make sure to brush from the ends up. Pro Tip: It is easier to brush when it is at least 75% dry, so I recommend a quick blowdry before beginning the detangling process, using leave in conditioner if necessary.

Drying

Blow drying your hair is recommended rather than letting it air dry when wearing tape ins. Again, this is because the tape is fragile when wet and at risk for slipping. Just make sure you do not apply heat directly to the tape when blow drying. Use a cool setting instead for this area.
While drying, firmly press together each of the tape panels to reaffirm the bond.
Go in with a brush when the hair is mostly dry and brush again from the ends up while holding the tape panels with the other hand. The easiest way to do this, is by working in small sections while drying. It is not recommended to use a round brush on grown out tape ins as you want to avoid pulling on the extensions as much as possible. Try a boar bristle brush instead, it will also add shine and lock out frizz. Just remember to hold on to the tape panels while brushing.
Ensure the tape panels are completely dry without applying heat directly to them, finish drying the rest of the hair, and you are good to go!

Now that you know how to properly wash, dry, and brush your grown-out tape ins, you are ready to style them by day and keep them healthy and tangle free by night. This is not always easy when dealing with grown out extensions.

Styling

If you choose to use heat to either curl or straighten the hair, always keep heat away from the tape panels and use one hand to hold the extension in place while styling. You can also clip the tape panels in place, just make sure to start your pass with the thermal device way below the tape.
When it comes to product, I suggest keeping it to a minimum so you can go longer without washing your hair. Usually, a leave in with heat protection and dry shampoo is all you really need. But to soothe any anxiety that your natural hair may become weak or fragile from leaving the extensions in for too long, use a hair strengthening daily tonic to ensure the new growth stays strong and able to support grown out extensions. I hands down recommend Ethica Corrective Daily Topical. Spray this lightweight formula that is water based and alcohol free on your new growth daily. It dries in a few seconds, won’t compromise the tape, and it works to rebuild the hair follicle and maximize hair count.
Sometimes the extra weight of grown out extensions can cause headaches. To alleviate any tension, you can clip the hair up so it is not so heavy, but it will also be loose so it will not cause further tension. When wearing your hair up with grown out extensions, keep it loose to avoid pulling on the extensions. As always with extensions, wear your hair up when doing any physical activities to avoid tangles. If you sweat, be sure to dry the tape panels as soon as possible to avoid slippage.

Sleeping

Never go to bed with wet hair
Always sleep with hair in a loose braid or bun to prevent tangling while you sleep. I love a coil hair tie because it prevents breakage, and has the ultimate stretch for thick hair. You could also go with a slip silk scrunchie as well if you want to avoid any creases.
Pillowcases matter! Cotton pillowcases scratch and tug on the skin and grab and twist hair. This results in visible premature stretching, sleep creases, damaged hair, and bed head. For the sake of your skin and hair, use a silk pillowcase.

Removal

Sometime the extensions feel heavy and pull on the natural new growth. This can cause problems when styling as well as occasional headaches, tension on the new growth, or a possibility that the extension is going to fall out OR pull on the natural hair. If you are facing that fear, removing your own tape ins might be your only option. I am going to walk you through the process step by step and below you can find a professional video tutorial posted by my supplier, Aqua Extensions.

To remove tape ins, you need remover, glide remover, a deep cleansing shampoo, and a deep conditioning treatment. I am selling tape in removal kits in my online store with everything you need included, free shipping.
Spray remover solution generously above and behind the tape panel and let it sit for 30-60 seconds so it can dissolve the adhesive.
Start by removing from the top panel and roll down in the direction of new growth. Do not start at the sides when removing, but from the top and roll down. It should slide off easily. Do the same thing to the lower panel.
If any hair is stubborn, spray more solution on it and wait for the adhesive to dissolve.
If you feel any residue, use drops of the glide remover sparingly on parts of the hair that has residue and comb through that area until stickiness is dissolved. Follow with a deep shampoo and conditioner.
Save your extensions for your next service.

Click here to watch Aqua Extensions tape in removal tutorial

When tape in extensions are worn longer than recommended, they can leave a sticky residue on the hair. Because of this, you may want to schedule a clarifying treatment in your next salon visit. This will remove all sticky tape reside, product build up, chlorine, etc. That way you are starting out with a fresh canvas and you can ensure your new set of tape in extensions are set up for success.

Whether you choose to stick it out and deal with overgrown tape in extensions, or remove them entirely, I hope these tips will help. If you are going to consider purchasing one of the recommended products, I would appreciate it if you could use my affiliate links directly or shop my online store. Anything helps to support my small business during this time of uncertainty. Thank you so much for your continued support during this time. We will get through this.