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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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A woman decided to treat herself to hair extensions, but what happened next left her confidence on the floor.
In a TikTok video with more than 2.3 million views, Lara Cox, 27, (@laracox98) can be seen showing off her new locks that cost almost $350 (£268) while sitting in her car. Her joy soon disappeared when she had them removed—six weeks later.
The psychological well-being practitioner from England told Newsweek that she lost 30 to 40 percent of her hair, and the treatment that was supposed to make her feel good left her feeling the opposite.
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Cox said: "I was quite in shock, and I felt very panicky when they were removed."
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The video includes a clip that shows her hair from the back—it appears to be thin and uneven at the bottom. She says that lots of hair came out in the sink.
"I felt distraught, and I had no confidence at all," she told Newsweek. "I didn't feel like myself or recognize myself at all. This was a big knock on my confidence."
After six weeks of wearing tape extensions, Cox purchased another type of temporary hair extension that sits on the head, secured by an invisible wire resembling a halo, as she didn't want anyone to see her natural hair.
Cox said: "My current hair is broken and thin, with hardly any density. I probably need to have it cut quite a bit, but I'm trying to hold onto as much hair as I can!"
Cox now vows never to wear extensions again. She told Newsweek: "As much as I loved how the tapes made me feel and look, the experience impacted me quite a lot, and I wouldn't want to risk ruining my hair any further or again. I had worked so hard to have good hair, so I wouldn't want to jeopardize that again.
"I also believe my hair loss could have been related to stress and slightly low iron levels. I currently use halo extensions for when I go out, which have helped with my confidence," Cox said.
So far, the video has over 107,000 likes and has resonated with thousands of users—many of whom shared their own horror stories.
"I don't care what anyone says—I fully believe extensions ruin your hair!! I feel like it's just too much weight on the hair," wrote one user.
Another commented: "This is why I will NEVER trust a stylist again. They claim extensions don't cause damage if applied correctly, but that's not the truth."
Cox concluded in an email to Newsweek: "It might sound dramatic [but] the whole experience left me feeling so low in confidence. I think our hair is such a big part of our identity. It has made me realize how much of a mask our hair can be and how much we can rely on it for confidence."
If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.
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