Keratin first or extensions first? Plan the order around the actual hair

For my Straightment DEMI the answer is fixed: the extensions come out before your appointment and can go back in 3 days after the treatment. For other treatments there is no single “keratin first” rule for every head wearing extensions. I decide the sequence after assessing your own hair and checking the actual added hair and attachment. A convenient gap between appointments cannot turn an unsuitable combination into a suitable one.

The temptation is to arrange the diary first: smoothing on Tuesday, extensions on Friday, colour somewhere in between. I would rather start with the result. Do you want less frizz with your natural movement left, less curl, or a straight finish? Are the extensions supposed to follow that movement, or are you expecting them to be changed as well?

My first question: what are we treating?

“My hair” can mean three things in this conversation. There is your own hair, the added length and whatever holds that length in place. Write them down separately. That is my planning method, because it makes the unresolved question obvious. You may know your own service history but know nothing about how the added hair was prepared.

The manufacturer’s position matters. The extension maintenance PDF cited here prohibits chemical or bond treatments on its product. A public FAQ from the same manufacturer describes professional colouring and perming possibilities more broadly. I would not resolve that difference by choosing the answer I prefer. Get the current instructions for the exact range, market and attachment. source source

Option one: assess your own hair before fitting

When you are still planning extensions, I want the texture consultation early. We can discuss the intended finish before you commit to a particular added texture. This is an appointment-planning option, not a promise that every smoothing service must happen first.

Bring the extension details to that consultation anyway. “I will choose them afterwards” does not answer whether you intend to buy synthetic hair, a pre-curled piece or a particular pre-coloured human-hair range. The types guide gives you the questions to take to the supplier.

Option two: an existing set needs its own decision

If the extensions are already fitted, tell me before booking the texture appointment. I assess your own hair and discuss whether the work can be planned with that system present. If the extensions are left in, nothing is guaranteed and £100 is added to your bill; I prefer them out. Do not assume that keeping a treatment “away from the bonds” is a complete compatibility assessment.

Removal, where needed, belongs with the appropriate professional and the system’s instructions. It is not a home preparation step involving pliers, heat or household solvent. Manufacturer guidance specifies its own professional removal process. source

Option three: do less, or postpone part of it

Sometimes the useful plan is a smaller change. You might keep the existing texture, postpone colour or choose a different extension texture after consultation. I am not trying to fit every service into the week because you have written it on the calendar. My job in this discussion is to assess your own hair and decide what I can sensibly recommend.

Keep the real treatment rules

My Semi and Demi permit same-day washing. Permanent and my Cold and Hot perms have no washing in the first 48 hours. The attachment may have a separate first-wash requirement. Follow the plan that satisfies both; one permission does not cancel the other restriction. Another salon’s keratin needs its own product instructions.

After Semi or Demi, vegetable and semi-permanent colour can be done on the same day, and demi-permanent colour and permanent colour wait 3 days; bleach waits a week. Permanent and perms require at least two weeks before colour, then an assessment of what colour work is appropriate. That is a colour rule, not an invented extension-refitting timetable.

What to do before either appointment

1. Gather the exact service and extension names, written care and photographs.
2. Tell both professionals about the whole plan, including colour and an event.
3. Ask what has to be removed, what stays untreated and who is responsible for each step.
4. Write down the first permitted wash and any attachment-specific restrictions.
5. Keep a fallback finish for the event instead of relying on last-minute chemistry.

If there is pain, scalp soreness or heavy shedding, stop the cosmetic planning and get assessed. The damage guide explains why different problems need different answers.

Questions

Should I leave two weeks between keratin and extensions?

My own interval after Straightment DEMI is 3 days, not two weeks. The actual treatment and attachment instructions decide the plan.

Where should I start?

Use keratin with extensions, then bring the unresolved details to consultation. This article owns appointment order; that guide owns smoothing compatibility.