If you follow fashion, you have undoubtedly witnessed the parade of starlets sporting hair extensions to boost the look of their own locks. Everyone from Beyonce to Kate Middleton has been photographed wearing the tell-tale swatches of real and synthetic hair. Jessica Simpson has even launched her own line of hair extensions. The idea of transforming short hair to long hair in a jiff appeals to consumers across all demographics, but evidence suggests the growing hair trend may have costly consequences.

Hair extensions cost between $300 and $3500, depending on whether the client chooses real or synthetic swatches. A partial head of hair starts at $150, while a full head of hair starts at $1300. Add to the base price the cost of labor, and the average client spends $800 to $1600. Monthly touch-ups add $20 to $50 to maintain the extensions.

These salon costs are quantifiable, but there is no telling the emotional cost that long-term use of hair extensions may cause. Salons use several methods to attach the extensions to the client’s real hair, including sewing and weaving. The most popular methods involve bonding with a form of hot glue and cold fusing with a form of protein-based glue.

As it turns out, the very weight of the hair extensions can cause the follicle to atrophy and prevent new hair growth. In severe cases, women develop a hair loss condition known as traction alopecia, and it can worsen and become permanent alopecia. Thus far, the only medical treatments available for alopecia have been topical minoxidal or hair transplants.

You can try less expensive clip-on extensions as an alternative, but some experts think the ultimate solution is to avoid hair extensions altogether.

Each generation embraces beauty treatments that are both ill-advised and laborious, according to UK Guardian columnist Hadley Freeman, author of The Meaning of Sunglass: And a Guide to (Almost) All Things Fashionable. After all, the old adage says, “Beauty is pain.” The hair extensions that currently reign supreme are the equivalent of what tanning beds were to the ’70s, hair perms were to the ’80s and glycolic peels were to the ’90s.

With that said, every generation rebels against the previous generation. Perhaps, the coming year will rush to embrace natural hair as the next best thing.