Micro Strands by Frame & Thread x V-Light
A game-changing hair enhancement system that compliments the services you already offer by allowing you to add thickness, color, and length where you never could before.
Create ultra-hidden, lightweight, incredibly comfortable, damage-free bonds using the V-Light. Micro Strands can be used to fill in a thinning part, at the hairline, crown, and fringe.
Confidently take clients you never would have been able to help with traditional extensions.
Before Micro Strands by Frame & Thread x V-Light
After Micro Strands by Frame & Thread x V-Light
Micro Strands are perfect for all hair types and all hair densities. They're especially beneficial to clients with thin to very thin hair.
Micro strands can be strategically placed anywhere density is needed including the top, sides, part, fringe, and crown.
They can even be used to add a few quick damage-free highlights.
Men & women of any age can achieve a youthful full-haired look with micro strands.
Benefits
Micro Strands last up to 8 weeks.
Can provide both thickness and length.
Similar to lash extensions, the hair sheds over time so we recommend a fill every 4 weeks.
Hair is installed in a 1:1 ration with natural hair so it is very light and will not damage the client's natural hair.
Hair is positioned strand-on-strand for ultimate comfort.
Cold-fusion heat-free installs.
Quick install & easy removal.
Micro Strands allow you to wear your hair in different styles without worrying about visible bonds.
Very comfortable bonds. Almost no tension. Clients who are prone to headaches with other methods will love Micro Strands.
Perfect For
Fine to very fine hair.
See-through parts.
Baby hairs at the front.
Hair loss from weight loss, stress, age.
Small alopecia spots.
Before Micro Strands by Frame & Thread x V-Light
After Micro Strands by Frame & Thread x V-Light
Bond Size Can be Customized as Shown
Install
Installation is easy using V-Light with our hypoallergenic acrylic resin bond.
Each bond takes only a few seconds to install and, since it's V-Light cured, there's no dry time, no waving, and no blowing on the bond.
Each Micro Strand is a 1 to 1 bond between the client's natural hair and the extensions.
With proper placement and application, bonds are more hidden than with any other method outside of hair restoration clinics.
Hair Selection
Hair selection isn't complicated.
Any type of extensions can be used. We're going to cut small amounts of hair from the track (using a hand-tied or micro weft) or cut the hair from the bond (using k-tips or tape-ins).
Match the color or create your own color blend.
Select the length.
Buy some hair.
Our Appliqué Tips (keratin-tips) are an excellent way to buy hair for the V-Light. They're sold in small 20 gram packs and they come on individual single-gram k-tips. You just cut the k-tip off, discard it, and install the hair as you need it with the V-Light
If you use our Appliqué Tips, you can use exactly what you need for your Micro Strands client and save the rest of the k-tips for another V-Light install or use them later as traditional k-tips. It's the perfect cost-effective / no-waste way to source your Micro Strands.
V-Light
We are stylists. We use these products on a daily basis. We care about our own health and yours. We all deal with a lot of chemicals and we strongly believe that all stylists should have the information they need to make good health decisions.
Here's what we know about using the V-Light safely:
V-Light is a 395 nm Ultraviolet-A blacklight designed to cure resin bonds in 5-10 seconds.
395 nm light is at the lowest energy portion of the UV spectrum. UVA is found in sunlight and it's the portion of sunlight that gives you a tan. UV curing lights have been used safely for decades in hospitals and in nail salons to dry your nails.
Short term skin exposure to 395 nm light is considered low-risk by the FDA:
The amount of UV-A exposure is 8 seconds per side of each bond, far less time than a person would spend in a manicure dryer.
As a stylist, your fingers are the most likely part of your body to be exposed to the light. To avoid exposure, they should not be under the light as the bond cures. If you are concerned with light exposure to your fingers, we recommend wearing light-weight mineral sunscreen on your hands as you do the service.
Here's a screenshot from the FDA's website regarding the use of UV nail drying lamps.
Many types of sunscreen can turn your extensions peachy-orange and it most likely can not be fixed. This is a chemical reaction with the dye that is used in human hair extensions. Any sunscreen with Avobenzone (Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane) or Octocrylene MUST BE AVOIDED!
Do not look directly at the light and do not ever allow a situation where children, or any other untrained person, can access or play with V-Light. Looking directly into the light can cause eye damage.
Aftercare
Most clients will find life with Micro Strands is easy. They do have a few unique considerations for care.
Care should be given to help maintain the strength of the bond. The less you do to the bond, the longer the bond will last.
Clients should not air-dry while wearing Micro Strands. Moisture from swimming and air-drying can shorten the life of the bond.
While wearing Micro Strands, your hair can still be blown dry (medium heat or less), flat ironed, curled, and colored.
Avoid using any heat tools at the bond. Avoid brushing at the bond.
Avoid oil on the bond as it can weaken the adhesive and can turn the adhesive white.
During the first week, clients should expect 5-10% of the strands to shed. This is normal.
Similar to lash extensions, over time, a minimal amount will continue to shed and a fill will be beneficial at about 4 weeks. Some clients may prefer to wait until it's time to for a full replacement at up to 8 weeks based on care.
Any sunscreen with Avobenzone (Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane) or Octocrylene MUST BE AVOIDED as it will permanently turn the hair peachy-orange.
Brazilian Blowouts and other keratin treatments should not be done 10 days before or after a V-Light install. These smoothing treatments rely on a lot of heat and pulling with a flat iron. This can damage the bond.
Removal
Most clients will find that the hair sheds on its own and should only have a small amount of residual adhesive.
For those clients, removal is accomplished with with remover spray and a comb.
The V-Light Remover Liquid and Remover Tool can be used to release and remove the bond.
After removal, our Prep wash should be done before any other service, especially the installation of new extensions.
More Information - The V-Light Adhesive
We receive a lot of questions about the V-Light adhesive. Here are the most common:
What are the ingredients in the V-Light adhesive?
Acrylic (Ester) Copolymer CAS#25133-97-5 / 25-35%
4-Acryloylmorpholine CAS#5117-12-4 / 10-20%
Tetrahydrofuran Acrylate CAS#2399-48-6 / 35-45%
N,N,-Dimethylacrylamide CAS#2680-03-7 / 5-15%
Photoinitiator CAS#75980-60-8 / 2-5%
Fumed Silica CAS#112945-52-5 / 2-5%
Is V-Light adhesive safe?
V-Light adhesive is a professional-use only product and can be used safely when used according to its instructions.
Here is the V-Light adhesive Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS / also known as the SDS).
What's the V-Light bond like?
V-Light adhesive is a UV-curable acrylic resin adhesive. It's very similar to an eyelash filler bond. Do not use the adhesive on eyelashes.
Additional V-Light Questions?
We're making every effort to provide all the information we have on V-Light. This page will be updated frequently so check back often. Most of the other questions you may have at this point will be answered in our educational video series.
If there's something more you would like to know, please ask. While we're not going to give away most of our tips and tricks outside of our videos, our goal is to be as transparent as possible and to give you all the information you need, as a stylist, to be successful, safe, and to love working with Frame & Thread.
Medical Conditions, Medications, and Use of the V-Light
The system should not be used if the treated person has any of the following symptoms in the area of the head where the light from the system may shine: abrasions, keloid scars, unhealed scars, herpes, psoriasis, other infectious or inflammatory skin diseases, fungal infections, wounds, sunburn, neurodermatitis, or skin cancer.
The system should not be used if the user or the person being treated has the following conditions: epilepsy, polymorphous light dermatosis, photosensitivity, or hemophilia.
The system should not be used if the treated person is undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.
The system should not be used if the user or treated person is taking photosensitizing medication such as neuroleptics, systemic dermatics, and antiepileptics.
The treatment of pregnant or breastfeeding persons may only be carried out after prior consultation with a doctor. In case of doubt, treatment should be avoided.