How long do tape-in extensions last? How to make them last longer
Tape-in extensions stay in for 6–8 weeks before the tabs need moving up. The hair itself lasts much longer: with the right care you can use the same wefts for up to 6 months, because they can be removed and put back in with new tape. Here we go through what affects how long they last, how to tell it's time to move them up and how to make the hair last as long as possible.
Two different things: the tab and the hair
When people ask how long tape-in extensions last, they often mean two different things:
| How long? | Why? | |
|---|---|---|
| The tab (the tape) | 6–8 weeks | Your own hair grows, and the tabs end up further from the scalp. |
| The hair (the wefts) | Up to 6 months | Human hair wears from washing, heat and brushing, just like your own. |
This means that over six months you move the same hair up about 2–3 times, with new tape each time.
What affects how long the hair lasts?
- Hair quality. Tangled Tape Extensions are 100% Double Drawn Remy human hair. All the strands run in the same direction with the outer cuticle layer intact, so the hair tangles less and lasts longer than cheaper qualities.
- Washing and products. Harsh sulfates dry the hair out, and conditioner or oil on the tabs dissolves the tape.
- Heat. Straighteners and curling irons without heat protection, or above 210 °C, make the hair dry and brittle.
- Chlorine, salt water and sun. All of these dry the hair out, especially lighter shades.
- How you sleep. Friction against the pillow causes tangles at the tabs.
How to tell it's time to move the tabs up
- The tabs sit 2–3 cm from the scalp instead of a few millimetres.
- Tangles form at the tabs, where your own regrowth meets the extensions.
- The tabs show more easily when you wear your hair up.
- It's been 6–8 weeks since you put the extensions in.
Don't wait too long. The longer the tabs hang, the more they pull on your own hair and the more easily it tangles.
How to move tape-in extensions up
- Dissolve the tape with a remover made for tape-in extensions and gently separate the tabs. Never pull them off. See step by step in the guide how to remove tape-in extensions.
- Clean the tape residue off the extensions and brush through your own hair at the roots.
- Put new tape on the wefts.
- Wash your hair with shampoo without conditioner and put the wefts back in. See step by step in the guide how to apply tape-in extensions yourself.
How to make the hair last longer
- Wash 2–3 times a week with a mild shampoo without harsh sulfates, such as our Strengthening Hair Bars.
- Apply conditioner and oil to the lengths only, never to the tabs.
- Brush from the ends upwards, holding the hair at the tabs.
- Always use heat protection and stay below 210 °C.
- Braid your hair loosely when you sleep, and never go to bed with wet hair.
- Put your hair up and wear a swimming cap in the pool and the sea, and rinse straight afterwards.
Read more in the guide how to wash hair extensions.
How long does tape last compared with other methods?
Tape is one of the methods that lasts longest between treatments, while still letting you look after it yourself. Keratin usually lasts longer between appointments but has to be applied and removed by a hairdresser, and clip-ins come out every evening. A comparison of all methods, with prices, is in the guide hair extensions – prices and methods.
Frequently asked questions
How long do tape-in extensions last?
The tabs stay in for 6–8 weeks. The hair can be reused and lasts up to 6 months with the right care.
Can you reuse tape-in extensions?
Yes. Release the tabs with remover, clean off the tape residue and apply new tape. The same wefts can be put in 2–3 times.
Why does the tape come loose?
Usually because conditioner, oil or styling products have got onto the tab, because too much of your own hair was placed in the tab, or because the hair was washed within 24–48 hours of being applied.
Can I swim and use a sauna with tape-in extensions?
Yes, but put your hair up, rinse it after the pool and the sea, and avoid long sessions in a hot sauna. Heat and moisture can soften the tape.
How many packs do I need?
1 pack for volume, 2 for thin hair, 3 for medium-thick and 4 for thick hair. Not sure? Send a photo via contact us.
See Tangled Tape Extensions – 100% Double Drawn Remy human hair, 50 cm, developed by hairdressers.