The Scary Illness Hallmark's Tricia Helfer Faced After Using A Common Hair Product

Many people use hair extensions for fuller, more voluminous hair. Choosing the right type of hair extensions to boost thin hair requires knowing about the various types of extensions out there. Some people like to rock clip-in hair extensions. However, Hallmark actor Tricia Helfer has a cautionary tale about metal clip-in hair extensions — hers made her extremely sick with heavy metal poisoning.

The "Finding Christmas" star told People about her hair extension nightmare in September 2023. She got them put in for a movie role that fell through and decided to keep them. Two months later, she started feeling strange with pain in her scalp and gums. "I would wake up and feel like my skin under my eyes looked a little sunburnt," Helfer said. "Just everything was kind of irritated." She had the extensions removed the day after working on "S.W.A.T.," because the hairdresser on set told her she had bald spots in her hair. When they were removed, the metal clips had turned green, reminiscent of "cheap costume jewelry that turns your ears green."

After visits with her doctor, a dermatologist, and an allergist, Helfer learned that she didn't have a metal allergy and was dismayed to not know what was happening. Her head did feel better without the extensions, but she wasn't completely back to normal.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, heavy metal poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms, such as stomach pain, nausea, and trouble breathing. Tricia Helfer experienced symptoms even after her metal clip-in hair extensions were out. "I was still just feeling off and I couldn't really put my finger on it," she told People. "When I was filming, I was having trouble remembering my lines. I felt foggy, just general malaise. I was sometimes kind of nauseous. I'd walk up a flight of stairs and start huffing and puffing. I just felt like I couldn't remember things."

When a friend of a friend noticed something didn't seem right and Helfer explained what she was experiencing, he recommended she check for heavy metal poisoning — something he had dealt with firsthand. She went to the doctor her friend had seen. "The results came back that I had heavy metal poisoning, and the lead was off the charts," she said.

Helfer's clip-in hair extensions had a coating over the metal clips, but wearing them while washing her hair, exercising, and more stripped the coating off over time, allowing the metal to get into her scalp and hair. Despite the scary diagnosis, Helfer was glad to finally know what was going on and get treated for it. Her treatment plan included cortisone shots and chelation therapy. They worked over time to decrease the amount of metal in her body and to grow her hair back. 

Tricia Helfer told her story so others would think carefully about the kind of long-term hair extensions they get. She told People: "I think it's something that is important for people to know or think about if they are using those types of clips in their hair. Because those types of extensions are meant to stay in for three or four months at a time. And that's when the damage can happen."

However, when People shared an excerpt of Helfer's story on Instagram, some commenters brought up how metal clip-in hair extensions are meant for one-time use. One commenter added, "They can be reinstalled for events but clip in extensions are not the kind of extensions you wear for an extended period of time." Some wondered if what Helfer had wasn't actually the clips but microlink hair extensions, which are a more semi-permanent option not meant to be removed daily. Perhaps Helfer did have clip-ins but kept them in too long unknowingly. 

It's important to learn how to take care of your hair extensions the right way to keep yourself and your hair healthy. With clip-in hair extensions, it's recommended to take them out before you sleep or exercise. You also shouldn't shower in them. Instead, remove them to wash them in a clean container or your sink.