Move-Up Appointments: What Weft Clients Need to Know
If you’re new to weft extensions, you’ve probably heard the terms “move-up” and “re-install” thrown around and wondered what actually happens at one. Well, good news on both fronts — here’s the full breakdown.
Move-Up vs. Re-Install: What’s the Difference?
A move-up is a quick maintenance service: your stylist shifts your existing beaded rows up closer to the scalp to follow your regrowth, without removing or rebuilding the foundation. A re-install is more involved — the extensions are removed completely and the foundation is rebuilt from scratch, rather than just shifted upward. Knowing which one you’re booking helps you plan both your time and your budget.
How Often Do You Need a Move-Up?
Most clients book a move-up every 4–6 weeks, depending on how fast their hair grows and how their scalp tolerates the beaded rows. If your hair grows quickly or you wash more frequently, you might lean toward the 4-week mark; slower growth or less frequent washing can usually stretch comfortably to 5 or 6 weeks.
What Happens During a Move-Up
During a move-up, your stylist will:
Open each bead in your beaded foundation and change out old beads as necessary
Comb out any natural shedding that’s been trapped inside the closed bead
Re-clamp each bead back up closer to the scalp, following your regrowth
Check that rows still sit comfortably and aren’t carrying too much tension
Your wefts stay in the whole time — nothing is removed or rebuilt. The appointment takes roughly 15–30 minutes.
Why Re-Installs Matter
Re-installs aren’t just about freshening things up — they’re necessary because every section of natural hair sheds over time. It’s normal to lose somewhere around 50–100 hairs a day, beaded row or not. Each time a row is moved up without being rebuilt, it’s working with a little less natural hair in that section than before.
If a row is moved up too many times, that thinned out foundation ends up supporting the same amount of weight from the wefts, which puts increasing tension on fewer and fewer strands. Left unaddressed, that’s exactly the kind of tension that can lead to traction alopecia and bald spots along the row. You’ve probably asked or have wondered if extensions are damaging. This is how. I know…scary. A re-install resets that by redistributing the rows across fresh sections of full, unstressed hair.
General rule of thumb: plan for a re-install after every 2 move-ups. If you’re coming in every 4–6 weeks, you can expect a re-install roughly every 12–16 weeks (3–4 months), depending on your individual growth rate and how your stylist assesses your rows.
Re-installs take longer than a standard move-up since the rows are being built fresh, so it’s worth setting aside extra time when you book one. Many clients also choose to pair their re-install appointment with their colour service, so they can get a full colour refresh without their extensions in. The appointment takes roughly 45 minutes per row.
What Happens During a Re-Install
During a re-install, your stylist will:
Remove the wefts completely
Wash and condition your natural hair, and do a treatment on the extensions
Re-section the beaded foundation
Reinstall your existing wefts into the freshly placed foundation
Trim or blend as needed so everything still lays flat and natural
A re-install is also a great time to address any concerns — a row that feels like it could be repositioned, or simply wanting a bit more hair added before a big event.
Putting It on a Calendar
The Maintenance Cycle
Install Full set
Move-Up Reposition as your hair grows
Move-Up Reposition as your hair grows
Re-Install + Option to Fill Restore density — avoid a full replacement
A simple way to think about your maintenance rhythm:
Every 4–6 weeks: Move-up appointment
Every 12–16 weeks (3–4 months): Re-install
Every 8–12 months: New set
Staying on this rhythm keeps your foundation healthy and your wefts looking seamless year-round — and it means your re-install never sneaks up as a surprise, since it’s already built into the schedule you’re keeping anyway.
Not sure what you need or have a question? Book a consultation with our extensions specialists!
