Why are My Client’s Nano Links Sliding Out?

There is little doubt that nano links have been a revolution in the hair extension industry. They have provided an alternative to old fashioned methods like; tape-in’s, weaves, fusions, etc. as a way of attaching hair extensions in a non-damaging way. Since they were originally developed for medical hair loss solutions, they were specifically engineered to accommodate the most brittle, and weak of hair, while remaining discrete and promoting healthy hair growth of the natural hair.

Attached using a tiny painted metal bead, the hair extension is secured to individual strands by clamping a section of natural hair. The result is long lasting, discrete hair extensions that are comfortable to wear, safe for your natural hair, and easy to remove.    

Nanos are usually a very secure method of hair extensions that also allow clients to care for and style their hair however they chose to: high ponytails, braids, updo’s, and because of the quality of Hair Flair’s hair, even perming the hair is an option. For all of these reasons and many more, are what makes them such a popular choice, however as with any kind of beauty or hair treatment there can be the odd exception to this rule. It’s important for you to understand the possible cause and solution to help better deal with clients.

Slippage is one of the most common issues that you may come across. Here are the causes and solutions to most of these issues.

Lets cover some of the top reasons why your clients nano might be sliding out

Conditioner

We all tell our clients during their consults that they are to come in with clean, dry, hair, on the day of their appointment, but we sometimes forget to tell them to avoid using conditioner. (They can on their ends, but not where the beads will sit.) Most conditioners contain silicone: it is the silicone in the product that gives hair its soft, shiny, and easy to manage texture, but since it coats the hair in a very fine layer, it can certainly cause the beads to slide easier than if the hair is bare and clean.

Not using enough of the client’s natural hair in the bead

This is a very common cause of the extensions falling out prematurely. Ensuring that you have enclosed enough of your clients hair is not only key to making sure the bead stays in place, it is ensures that there is enough natural hair to support the weight of the hair extension. It is not “easy” to thread the bead into the hair. If it is sliding on easy for you, you are likely not using enough hair. As a general rule the thinner the hair the more you will want to pull into a bead.

Silicone Beads

We know a lot of you use our silicone lined nano beads, and that’s fine as long as you understand they A) can’t hold as much natural hair because the silicone fills up a portion of the bead, and B) silicone's are slippery (think of other products that have silicone in them; non- stick cookware, hair oils, personal lubricants etc.) So if you can work with non-silicone nano beads, you should.  

Not clamping down hard enough with your pliers

Another thing I have noticed is girls will unintentionally clamp the beads onto the bond too lightly. Because it is unintentional, you may not know you’re doing it until a client mentions more are falling out than expected.

When is it the clients fault?

If you straight up ask your client if they have used conditioner, or oils, around the bonds, or have washed their hair too much, or have brushed their hair too rigorously, etc., they will feel on the defense and assure they have done nothing wrong. Instead, ask them about their aftercare routine without giving them any indication of what the right or wrong answer is. If they are in the chair, ask them to show you how they brush their hair. Ask them when they condition, do they start at the scalp and work their way down? (because they should not be applying to their scalp at all) Ask how long it is left on for. This way they are a lot more likely to be honest with you then if they feel like they have a finger pointed at them.

Excess Oil

In the very rare occasion, it may not be the fault of your installation, nor the client’s aftercare routine. Sometimes our clients may just plain have too much natural oil. Often, extensions can help better distribute these oils because there is now more hair to accommodate the oil with. Sometimes though, the excess oil sitting on the client’s hair can cause the hair extensions to not hold very well at all. This is going to cause inevitable slippage that your client will be disappointed with, especially if they were not pre warned. You can advise your client to use a dry shampoo on their roots to help control the oil between washes.