If you're tired of your short hair, but you don't want to wait for it to grow out, hair extensions can give you the length you're looking for. If you want extensions that look and feel like your own hair, you'll need to invest in those made from natural hair. Once you have your extensions in place, you'll want to avoid some of the common mishaps that can happen, such as matting. Matting occurs when your natural hair and your extensions get tangled up together. Unfortunately, once matting occurs, it can be difficult to undo. Luckily, there are some tricks you can use to avoid the problem altogether. Here are three of them.

Avoid Massaging Hair During Shampooing

Matting can occur quite easily during shampooing if you don't follow the proper technique. One way to avoid matting is to avoid massaging your hair while you're washing it. Instead of using your fingertips to massage your scalp, which can bunch your hair up and lead to matting, apply shampoo in a smoothing pattern from scalp to tips. Once you've applied the shampoo, and smoothed it with your hands to work up a light lather, rinse well by standing under the water and allow the shampoo to flow off your hair.

Dry Extensions Thoroughly Before Bedtime

If you regularly shower before heading to bed, and you usually leave your hair damp, you'll need to avoid that once you have extensions. Going to bed with wet or damp hair can lead to tangling and matting. If you're going to wash your hair before bed, be sure to leave yourself enough time to thoroughly dry your hair before retiring. Use a towel to squeeze the excess water out of your hair, and then allow it to air dry. If you're going to use a blow dryer, leave it on the lowest setting so that your hair doesn't tangle. Once your hair is dried completely, work it into a braid before heading to bed. Leaving your hair in a braid at night will help avoid matting.

Practice Daily Separation

You might think that a few matted hairs won't matter. Unfortunately, when it comes to natural hair extensions, that's simply not true. A few matted hairs can quickly turn into an entire head full of matted hairs if you're not careful. To avoid that problem, it's a good idea to practice daily separation. Spend a few minutes each morning, and each night, separating the matted hairs. This daily practice will keep your hair smooth and beautiful.

For more information, contact companies like Higher Level Hair.