Can You Sleep in Clip-in Hair Extensions?

It's tempting, isn't it? After a long day at work or a big night out, it's tempting to sleep in your clip-in hair extensions, but can you? And even more's the point, should you? In this blog, we're going to look at whether or not you should leave your clip-in extensions in while you sleep, discuss the potential risks in doing so, and advise on the best ways to care for your hair extensions as a part of your bedtime routine.

There are different types of clip-in hair extensions. One pieces, sets, ponytails, and buns; all in different hair colours, textures, and styles. With a market so varied, there seems to be something out there for everyone; but when we look at how to care for your hair extensions, one of the biggest questions on everybody's minds seems to be can I sleep in my clip-in extensions?

• How often can you wear clip-in hair extensions?
• What are the risks of sleeping in clip-in hair extensions?
• It could damage your hair
• It could irritate your skin
• It could ruin your night's sleep
• It could damage the extensions
• How should I store my clip-in hair extensions?

How often can you wear clip-in hair extensions?

Some people do wear clip-in hair extension pieces every day. However, we would not advise wearing them for extended periods, every day.

Some feel the need to wear their extensions every day to achieve a desired style or to give themselves a boost of self-confidence, and this is completely understandable! We would recommend, that if this is the case, you switch the position of the extensions day to day to avoid excess pressure or pulling on the scalp.

What are the risks of sleeping in clip-in hair extensions?

I know it's tempting to sleep in your clip-in extensions. After a long day, or when you're hoping for a few more minutes in bed the next morning, wearing your extensions to bed seems like it'd save time and effort.

However, sleeping in clip-in hair extensions isn't advised by most hair extension retailers. This isn't just for the sake of the extensions, but for your sake too. It might sound dramatic, and surely, wearing your extensions to bed once or twice wouldn't hurt, right?

Well, let's take a look and see what some of the risks of sleeping in clip-in hair extensions are.

It could damage your hair

While clip-in extensions are not damaging to your hair, wearing them too often or sleeping in them could cause potential damage to your natural hair.

If you sleep in your clip-in extensions, you could experience tension and pulling on your scalp. This can lead to headaches, breakage, thinning hair, and in more severe cases, traction alopecia. There is also the risk of the extensions tangling and knotting with your natural hair, which would make the eventual removal process more painful, and increase hair loss.

It could irritate your skin

Sleeping in clip-in hair extensions could irritate the skin on your scalp, especially if you are at all head-sore. The friction caused by the clips rubbing against your scalp as you move in your sleep could cause general scalp irritation, dry or flaking skin, and even scrapes. 

It could ruin your night's sleep

If you wear your clip-in extensions to bed, there's a strong chance that the sleep you get that night won't be as restful as you might hope. Imagine, being tucked up in bed all cosy, and all you can think about is the clips that are digging into your scalp, no matter how you arrange the hair or position your head. That doesn't sound particularly restful to me.

It's the best practice to remove your clip-in hair extensions before you go to bed and store them correctly. Wear your natural hair to bed in a style that is both comfortable and protective, especially if you have a finer hair type.

It could damage the extensions

Not only is your natural hair at risk if you sleep in your clip-in extensions but so is the hair extension piece. Wearing your clip-in extensions to bed could cause the pieces to tangle, leading to knots and even matting.

There's nothing worse than knotty hair extensions, so it's important to give them the proper care to give them the longest life and keep your hair game strong!

How should I store my clip-in hair extensions?

It's important to take good care of your hair extensions in between wears by brushing them and storing them safely. At Stranded Hair Group, we recommend storing extensions in the box that they came in, or opting for a trouser hanger or hair extension storage bag.

We also stock our Smooth Finish Extension Brush, a brush for hair extensions, which allows you to brush through both human and synthetic extensions with ease, maintaining their shine and quality for longer.