If you own a pair of hair extensions or are planning to, has it ever crossed your mind that your hair extensions might possibly come from the head of a corpse?
Hair extensions do not come from human corpses; instead, they are sourced from willing sellers, and in some cases, even animals. That said, the hair industry is not regulated, so there is a chance, and there have been a few unverified cases where hair extensions did contain human hair from corpses.
If the above information has left you feeling a little sick, you’re not alone. Despite the fact that the hair industry is shrouded in secrecy, I’ve gone ahead and unveiled everything I could with the information available—and what I found will shock you even further!
Where Do Hair Extensions Come From?
Most wigs and hair extensions on the market come from countries such as India, Cambodia, Brazil, and China. China is the largest exporter and importer of human hair and harvests much of it from its own population.
Here’s a list of the most likely places your hair extensions will come from:
- China. Since China entered the Indian hair trade auction market in the year 2000, it began to take over the hair trade from there. Most hair actually originates from India, however, most of the processing and exporting takes place in China.
- India. India is one of the largest hair exporters, with most of the hair being harvested in religious rituals in Hindu temples. This hair is usually untreated meaning that it is highly valued, despite the women receiving nothing in return for the hair.
- Brazil. Genuine, Brazilian hair is actually one of the most sought after and valuable strands of hair. Most of the donors come from small, rural places within Brazil, where the donors are paid for growing and then donating strong, healthy hair. Unfortunately, Brazilian hair is often synthetically replicated and sold off as real hair on the market when it is in fact, completely fake.
- Cambodia. In Cambodia, women can receive around $7.50 USD for cutting off around a waist-length of hair. Sadly, for many women, selling their hair is a better option than selling their bodies.
6 Fascinating Facts About Where Hair Extensions Come From
The hair trade is one of the most controversial and lucrative industries on the planet, which is why it has many secrets that you’ll most likely be both shocked and fascinated to know. Check out this video with 6 fascinating facts about where hair extensions come from:
- The harvesting and distribution of live human hair is a multi-billion dollar industry. Throughout the globe, the hair trade is responsible for supporting the livelihood of many women and their families. Much of the hair on sale comes from small agents who tour villages in the above areas to locate women who are willing to part with their locks. In fact, recent figures show that in Britain alone, women spend an average amount of 65 million pounds on hair extensions per year!
- Hindu temples are prime harvesting locations. Hindu temples are a prime hotspot for harvesting human hair. Women donate their hair free of charge, as they are instead rewarded with “food and religious serenity.” In fact, there are so many women donating their hair that hundreds of harvesting factories have opened up in the small city of Chennai, India. Hundreds of people have their heads shaved every few minutes. “Bloody scalps and hairballs” are commonplace during these rituals, and the hair is sold in auctions for much higher prices.
- Indian hair is the most similar to European hair in texture. Indian hair is extremely popular due to the fact that it is very similar to European hair. This means that the final product will be extremely similar to European hair and can be realistically dyed in any color. Most importantly to the distributers, Indian hair can be sold for a higher value.
- The hair trade is not regulated. Unfortunately, as with many things in this world, the market is open to exploitation and has been exploited in many countries due to the fact that the hair trade market is currently not regulated. As can be seen in the video, very few people are honest and transparent about where the hair comes from, leaving the industry highly susceptible to exploitation.
- Hair qualities vary. There are various types of hair, ranging from very high-quality hair (pure Remy hair) and super low quality (leftover hair from salon floors). You can also get pure virgin hair, which means that it has not been bleached or processed in any way, and is usually the most expensive. Some of the highest quality hair extensions can sell for up $20,000 per kilo!
- A lot of hair comes from “waste.” As disturbing as this may sound, a lot of hair that can be found from combs, hairballs, floors of hairdressers and even plugholes is collected and processed—this is otherwise known as “standard hair.” In fact, many women save up this “comb hair” and sell it after it has collected over many years. So in other words, the extensions you are wearing could come from a multitude of different people, of all ethnicities.
Do Hair Extensions Come From Horses or Other Animals?
Some hair extensions do come from horse hair as well as other animals such as sheep. That said, animal hair is rarely used in hair extensions on its own and is usually mixed in with real human hair.
The most common type of animal hair that is used for extensions is yaks, horses, sheep, and even goats!
The reason that animal hair is often used is attributed to the fact that it can actually look and feel very similar to real human hair in terms of sheen and feel. Not to mention the textures vary from silky to curly, making it ideal for all customers.
Surprisingly, animal hair costs more than plain, synthetic hair. This is because it costs more to be grown, harvested, cleaned and chemically treated.
While many people may find the idea of wearing animal hair on your head, it is actually relatively popular! This is due to the fact that animal hair has a much more natural look and feel compared to synthetic hair, and it also has greater variation.
Where Can I Buy Extensions That Don’t Come From Corpses or Animals?
The sad reality is that it is extremely difficult to know if the extensions or wigs you are buying do contain 100% live human hair. As mentioned above, the hair trade is not regulated so there are no rules in place ensuring that legal standards are met.
The best way to be 100% sure that the hair extensions you’re going to buy don’t contain corpse or animal hair is to source the hair from a reputable company or salon that you found through word of mouth.
There are ways of telling whether your extensions are not 100% real, the only downside is that you can only tell once you have already purchased the wig, and by then it is already too late.
How Can I Tell if My Extensions are Not Real Human Hair?
There are a few signs that your hair extensions are not 100% real human hair.Here are 3 telltale signs that your hair may not be genuine human hair:
- The price is super low. If you are purchasing the extensions online and are unable to touch, feel and see the hair before you buy it, be cautious if the hair extensions are super cheap. This can be a major red flag—if the hair is real human hair you are going to pay the price.
- The burn test. If you set alight a portion of the hair and it blackens and becomes sticky, this is a clear sign that the hair contains synthetic fibers. The hair should have white smoke and turn to ash if it is real human hair.
- Hair Products. If you have purchased hair products made for human hair and your extensions are not responding well to them, this may be a red flag that the hair you are treating is not in fact 100% human hair.
INSIDER TIP: Read our guide on this website on how to spot fake hair extensions.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it is rather difficult to pinpoint where your hair extensions come from, so you will have to rely on trust, reputation, and quality of where you source your hair from. Be vigilant and be wary of any red flags or telltale signs that the hairpiece you purchased may not be 100% human hair, and stick to only highly reputable salons when making a decision.