Hair Extensions: How Young is "TOO Young"?

by Melissa L. White

I've asked this question before when addressing a teen or pre-teen who is pestering mom for hair extensions. Today's story about a mom who is splurging on her two and four year old daughters with spray-on tanning, hair extensions and pedicures, which makes me ask my readers, "What age is simply too young?"

Photo credit: Mirror.co.uk

Being one of San Antonio's first salons to specialize exclusively in custom hair extensions, I've seen a wide range of ages, ethnicities, professions, and even hair colors. The reasons that these women are seeking hair extensions are equally varied. While some want them for vanity reasons, fashion statements, change of style, or simply to add volume or length, others suffer from thinning or balding hair, or have medical conditions which has resulted in hair loss or extreme thinning of their hair. These reasons are more easily understood than a mother who provides them to a two, three or four year old!

The focus of a television show called Blinging up Baby, a young mom named Sophie-May Dickson claims her two daughters want the hair extensions, tans and pedicures. And, she sees nothing wrong with giving them to them. Princess Bliss first wore a hairpiece when she was two, and received her first spray-tan at three! "Princess" wears nail polish and has a designer wardrobe "worth thousands".

Mom even admits she has caught "Princess" twerking to Miley Cyrus, causing many critics to wonder if she has gone just a bit too far in her quite indulgent approach to parenting. Her other daughter, "Precious" Belle, had her first pedicure at nine months, and appears to be following in her older sister's footsteps even though mom proclaims her more a tomboy.

Curious to see what you think:

___ way too young
___ perfectly okay
___ no, this is just a UK thing!

RESOURCE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON STORY:
The Daily Mirror - Blinging up baby mum gives her babies...

Hair Extensions For My Little Pony Fans - Is This Too Young?

by Melissa L. White
Certified Hair Extension Artist, Licensed Stylist

I've addressed this question in the past. Moms with teenagers often struggle with what is an appropriate age to allow your daughter to get their first set of human hair extensions. But what if it was your five or six year old asking for extensions?

Apparently, the appropriateness isn't a major concern to Hasbro, who announced in December that it would be releasing a collection of hair extensions to young girls. The single and multi-colored clip-in hair extensions are being launched as "My Little Pony" hair extensions. You KNOW that this will appeal to little girls everywhere. What little girl doesn't love ponies!

And, the marketing doesn't stop there. There are also accessories like hair charms and cutie marks accented with crystals. The pint size fans will be able to accessorize to look like their favorite My Little Pony character. According to Kidada Jones, "My Little Pony-inspired hair styles and hair accessories allow fans to channel their inner pony." Fans are encouraged to visit the My Little Pony Parlor website and share it with their friends.

What do YOU think? Are these children simply too young to be marketing this type of product to? Or, do you feel there's nothing wrong with it? Let me know.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melissa White is an experienced, licensed hair extension artist and stylist whose passion is to bring out the natural beauty in everyone by enhancing their own individual features with the use of exquisite hair extensions. Melissa has over 14 years of extensive training with the industries top hair extension companies in the newest techniques. Originally from Boston, Melissa has been in San Antonio for the past 8 years. She believes that everyone should be able to access and accord the hair of their dreams...thus the creation of Extensions of Yourself, San Antonio's first salon which specializes exclusively in quality hair extensions.