Perms are not evil!
May 25, 2008
I became a hairdresser in the late 1980s. It was the era of the spiral perm. As a new hairdresser, I had no clients, therefore I had plenty of time to spend four hours perming long hair. I was good at it. I was creative and thorough. (These happen to be the same things that make me a good colorist.)
So the nineties came and brought with them the flat iron. It’s a lovely tool. But enough, already! Step away from your flat iron! You think a perm is damaging? I have seem hair beat to hell by flat iron abuse!
Every once in a while I will mention that I have a perm client on the books and people look at me like I have grown an additional head and say ” People still get perms?”
Yes, Virginia. People still get perms. Some people have such crappy hair that it needs the boost a perm can give it. Some people just like not looking like Morticia Adams.
Here is this week’s before and after.
Get Some Hairapy! 
May 25, 2008 at 10:52 am
My friend just got a perm and it looks awesome. I definitely wouldn’t mind a shift in hair trends away from flat irons to perms.
May 25, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I would give anything to have hair that looks like your client’s. :sigh: Since my hair is highligted so heavily, it would totally be my luck that it would fall out in the bowl… 😛
May 26, 2008 at 8:59 am
@Judie: There are perms for bleached hair. They are very weak (to minimize the risk of “oh shit, the rods fell off with her hair still on them!”) but they do give you some nice movement. I wouldn’t do it twice on the same bleached hair, but once might be nice, just for something different.
June 16, 2008 at 12:11 am
Hey, maybe that’s what I need! My hair is getting way skinnier than I will ever be.
June 16, 2008 at 10:23 am
@Abby: I read your comment on my phone and totally thought you said “shinier” instead of “skinnier!” I was touched that you wanted to feel as shiny as your hair. I am a moron!
June 24, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Hi! I have fine hair that is at the end of my shoulder blades. I will be getting a “body wave” on Sat. I really liked how you did her hair!! How was it done so I can explain it to my stylist. Thanks so much!!
June 24, 2008 at 4:39 pm
@Kari: This was a standard perm wrap with aqua colored rods (most people would call it a body wave.) Remember that any perm will relax up to 30% in the first 3 weeks.
November 27, 2011 at 5:58 pm
what is the size of the rods length/width. THANKS
July 22, 2008 at 1:47 am
Hello. I am thinking about getting a perm. My hair is fine, but medium thickness. Not the fine that you can see through, like sparse fine fine hair. Fine texture, medium strands, but alot. And it is straight. Not stick stick straight, like 5% wave if i let it dry naturally. But that is prob because it sits on my clothes.
And i am in very dry climate. When i go to a full humid place, after a while ( like 2 weeks or more, my little baby hair, tendrils start to curl.) Also i can curl my hair, and hair spry, doesn’t stay for very long. It goes into a sorta kinky wave.
Then the length. The longest layer goes to right above my bra strap then the shortest to a couple centimeters below my ear. I have a oval/square face, cant figure out which one. 20, caucasian. I highlight my hair, but at most twice a year.
SOOO with all the info, should a get a perm. not bouncy very tight curls. But a bigger rod, one size bigger than the very curly more natural looking curl. I have been looking at the pics on google, and there are a couple that look limp and lifeless curl. i dont want that. I understand the majority of the pictures out there are of people who have had there hair curled with a iron.
July 22, 2008 at 8:43 am
@tracey: I can’t test the elasticity of your hair, but assuming that it is in permable condition, brown rods sound like a good choice for you, perhaps mixed with orange which is one size larger (and one size smaller than the rods used in this perm.) You may need to adjust the angles of your cut a few weeks after the perm depending on how the curls settle around your head.
September 6, 2008 at 3:54 am
HEY, LOVE THIS STYLE. MY HAIR IS A FEW INCHES SHORTER THAN THIS. PROBLEM IS, I LIVE IN OKINAWA, JAPAN. MY HUBBY IS MILITARY. HE IS COMING HOME IN ONE MONTH FROM IRAQ. I WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MY HAIR. IN OKINAWA, THE HUMIDITY IS SO HIGH, I HAVE TO PULL MY HAIR UP EVERY DAY. MAY OF 2007, I GOT A JAPANESE STRAIGHTNER. TALKING ABOUT STRAIGHT HAIR. STRAIGHT AS A STICK. WELL, BEFORE MY HUBBY DEPLOYED IN JAN. 2008, HE WANTED ME TO HIGHLIGHT MY HAIR. SO I DID. IT RUINED MY JAPANESE STRAIGHTNER. NOW, I AM LEFT WITH UNMANAGEABLE HAIR IN A HUMID ENVIRONMENT. WE STILL HAVE 18 MONTHS LEFT OVER HERE. SO I THOUGHT, WHY WORK AGAINST MY HAIR. WORK WITH IT. IF MY HAIR WANTS TO CURL, THEN GET A PERM. WHAT DO YOU THINK? I DON’T WANT TO LOOK A MESS WHEN MY HUBBY COMES HOME. HOW DO I EXPLAIN TO THE STYLIST WHAT YOU DID TO THIS GIRLS HAIR? IS IT A SPIRAL PERM? THANKS
September 6, 2008 at 7:28 am
@Amy: I wish I could answer your question, but I have little real-world information about the Japanese straighteners. I am inclined to think that trying to perm the hair would be a bad idea, but that is based on instinct, not cold, hard facts.
Here is what I understand about the Japanese straighteners:
Much like a perm, a solution is applied to the hair which breaks the internal bonds.
While the hair is in this compromised state, it is flat ironed and then neutralized which reforms some of the bonds in the new, straight pattern.
So, logically, one would assume that your hair has at least as much (if not more) damage from broken bonds as the same hair would be if it had been aggressively permed.
This makes I ponder whether your hair has the strength (enough remaining bonds) to be permed and still be structurally sound (attached to your head!)
Even if it is in permable condition, I doubt that your end result would resemble the photo you saw because this was its first perm. (Repeatedly perming the same hair decreases the number of internal bonds and the hair loses it’s ability to reform to the new shape.)
If you have a salon you trust, ask them to do a porosity and elasticity test to see if they think a perm is a wise choice for your hair in its current state.
In the mean time, invest in some high moisture, low protein shampoo, treatment and leave-in conditioner and see if your curl doesn’t find it’s own way.
Alternately, see if there are any salons there doing the Brazilian (keratin) straighteners. They are beautiful, conditioning and will not cause further damage.
Good luck!
October 14, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I have really thin hair that is usually super straight, though it has a bit of curl to it having had a botched perm as a child (mind you, only when it’s dried sans-blow dryer). My hair is 3 and 1/2 inches past my shoulders and it is coloured blonde.
I’ve been thinking about a perm because I love the look of wavy, light curls. Kind of similiar to Paris Hilton’s hairdo at the moment (I can’t believe I’m using her as a point of reference) I don’t like the look of “moussed, gelled, scrimped up, diffused” curls. I’m more a fan of loose, classy waves and casual curls. I’m wondering with my hair type, and with root touch ups, if a perm is even possible for me. My hair is fairly damaged due to dyeing back to my natural colour, and flat ironing or curling.
October 15, 2008 at 9:07 am
@Hailey:
First let me clarify that the perm you had as a child has no impact on your curl pattern now. Perms only control the hair on the outside of the scalp, not how it grows out. Our curl patterns change over our lifetime. It is normal.
Second, the degree of damage done from thermal tools and coloring may or may not preclude you from getting a perm. There are elasticity and porosity tests that can be done in the salon to get a better idea of the potential success.
Third, the “loose, classy waves and casual curls” look would be helped by a perm, but mostly it is a result of curling iron work. And the challenge most fine-haired people have is due to sheer lack of hair. If there isn’t much (like Paris without her extensions) then the style looks sparse and empty because there may only be enough hair for two curls on each side of the head!
I feel your pain, sister. Best of luck to you!
October 30, 2008 at 12:57 pm
How do perms work…
how long do they stay?
can you sleep on them or what?
can you wash your hair and not ruin the curls?
I usally scrunch my hair and straighten my bangs if i got a perm done would i be able to straighten my bans and not ruin the rest of the perm?
Thanks
October 30, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Bangs*
October 30, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Everything (and more) you ever wanted to know about perms can be found at various online sources. Search for “what is a perm” or “how do perms work”.
I found a wikipedia page. Read it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_wave
or try this one:
http://beauty.about.com/od/hairbasics/a/perms.htm
November 19, 2008 at 9:04 pm
ok. I might actually need you to e-mail me so maybe i can send you pictures. BUT:
I’ve been SO majorly excited to get a perm. I’ve been saving up money just for that and I even went to go get my hair dyed professionally.
PROBLEM!
THAT was before I knew that you can’t have bleached hair and get a perm. So far I’ve bleached my hair twice.
Once in August of 08 and the next in October of 08.
The only part of my hair they bleached was the top. The bottom half of my head was left brown.
[i know i’m a lil weird, but i love it]
After the last bleach job i asked about my perm and she told me no way. I about cried right on the spot. I know I should have done research, so don’t ridicule me pretty please. :[
My hair grows pretty fast and I pretty much have an inch/ inch and a half of my natural grown hair grown in and its only the end of november.
i CANT wait for my hair to grow out all the way to get it permed. What can i do? I’ve read all of your posts so far on here and at the top you said theres a kind of very fine perm that can be used on bleached hair? I wonder if THAT would even be possible.
Please give me information. I can send you pics to see if my hair is just too blonde to be permed and what I should do.
p.s. I was thinking of dying my hair all one color from now on since i might want to keep getting perms after my first one. I was going to get Henna and do it.
If there is ANY possible way of me getting a perm should a even dye my hair with Henna?
If so how long do i wait?
OR do i do it before the perm?
Please help i’m so sad.
I’m about to go do the float
January 3, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I have been a big fan of perms forever. I used to wear my hair tight at the nape of my neck, sides tucked behind ears, and longer on the crown and bangs. My hairdresser (who has since moved from WI to AZ) used to give me what she called the “no perm, perm” basically a body wave with peach and orange rods. It was great!! Get out of the shower, throw in some product, blowdry for a few seconds just to dry the roots and out the door. I’ve since let my hair grow out, it’s down to the top of my shoulder blades now, thin and fine. I want to get another perm but am terrified it will be too tight for my liking (the pic on this page is a little too wavy for me). There is a pic on your 8-14-08 entry titled Keratin Straightner, the caption reads ‘Carrie – week 3, air dried’. Is that a perm? If yes, what size rods? Thanks for your time.
February 27, 2009 at 8:30 pm
hi i use to bleach my hair and i got a perm im happy with it, so now i use sunin on my hair for a golden blond it seems to be in better shape when i us sun in, so can i still perm my hair over sunin?
February 27, 2009 at 8:58 pm
i wont to unsubcribed
March 13, 2009 at 11:48 am
I have hair that is naturally wavy in the back and much straighter on the sides. In high schools (late 80s) I always had a body perm to even things out. I am thinking about getting another body perm to give me, well, so body…but my question is, can you still use a flat iron on permed hair? I remember back in the day using crimpers…but I would like to wear my hair both straight and wavy if I got a perm.
March 13, 2009 at 1:47 pm
You can use a flat iron (or any other hot tool) on permed hair, but here is what you need to keep in mind:
The structural component of the hair that gives it texture is also what holds it together. These bonds can be altered with heat, water and chemicals. Heat and chemicals will always do some amount of damage. Using both will cause more breakage of these bonds and therefore more damage.
Used in moderation, this is manageable; but remember that the more you break the bonds with heat to straighten it, the fewer bonds will remain to make the curls or wave created by the perm.
Hope this answers your question.
May 24, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I LOVE PERMS! My local stylist will NOT do one! She says I wont like it and its too out dated! But I have had board straight hair my whole life! I want curls EVERYWHERE! I want to get up in the morn put some gel in my hair and a flower clip and go!
I got a perm as a child, my mom followed all directions but the perm fell. My hair hardly holds curl when I try to set it with hot rollers.
What type of perm do you recommend?
what type of perm is this?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wwbeautystore.com/images/ad_hair_perm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wwbeautystore.com/hair-perm-info.shtml&usg=__69OhnReC2fSQ9PjlWXQs1rH2ftA=&h=219&w=200&sz=15&hl=en&start=38&sig2=yTLDBzyCttCMaM_zkI_oIQ&um=1&tbnid=txvyoRMSDChbgM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dat%2Bhome%2Bspiral%2Bperm%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS289%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1&ei=MsMZSpmLC9PKlQeFlp3iCw
I would love a perm JUST LIKE IT!
May 26, 2009 at 10:28 am
Tawny, your link doesn’t work so I can’t see the picture you mean. If your hair is very resistant and not damaged, there are perms that are stronger and more effective. Perms are great tools for helping styles to last longer. You may still need to use the hot rollers, but the curls should hold up much longer than it does now.
This is not the first time I have heard of a hairstylist declining to do a perm. It is possible that she has permed people in the past who have been unhappy with the results and that has colored her perspective.
Dated is an unfair term to use. So all the people with god-given curls are walking around looking dated? I think it is more the other end of the pendulum. Maybe I think stick straight hair is dated and some people should step away from the flat iron!
Style is a personal choice and expression and should be embraced. Maybe a perm won’t give you the curls of your dreams, but it would be nice to give it a try.
November 4, 2009 at 8:48 am
I really liked the photo of the spiral perm and up til my last perm, mine generally looked like that.
Personally prefer the hoop type of rods for doing spirals, as mine can last for 6 – 7 months, if done exceptionally well. Booking with my usual stylist fell thru and no backup available at that salon so, I had to search out other salon options. I asked this one if they had the spiral rods and they told me that they did. I took them for their word, I guess that was my mistake. My top part is shorter so I’ve always had the regular perm rods but the length is done with the tube style. I found out as the stylist comes around half-way through and has a tray of these funny looking bendable rods. I thought I’d give them a chance. What a mistake. What a waste of my money too. Hardly looks and feels like the back part of my head ever got permed. The rest of the curl around my head just seems so weak looking. There’s more curl on the top of my head from the regular rods. Some people say, “oh, it looks okay” but then they’re not the ones who have to walk around like that. I’m just so disappointed and don’t feel like me. I don’t recall what style of rods you used other than doing it in a spiral curl.
November 4, 2009 at 8:52 am
Left long comment but think I forgot to click “notify”?
December 4, 2009 at 4:27 pm
hello i have fairly thick hair and i am looking to get a perm next weekend. i want it to look like that. my hair is the same length as the picture above. i have not colored it since the summer though. what color rods would i use and what type of perm? i never got one before, so i am very clueless.
thanks
December 9, 2009 at 7:29 am
Hello,
I’ve been having my hair foiled for some time, usually with 3 different colors, but my hairstylist usually uses bleach in my hair to achieve the blonde color since my natural levels are not blonde. I use the flat iron alot to straighten it because my hair is a little frizzy after washing and drying. I used to get spiral perms all the time and loved them but wanted to go with the more trendy hair. I’m ready to go back to a perm. Even though they damage the hair, I didn’t have the damage I’m having from the bleaching and flat iron! I spoke with my stylist and told her I wanted a spiral and she wasn’t happy about it at first. She’s done spirals in my hair before a long time ago and I trust her. I had my hair just colored 3-4 weeks ago and would like to go with a spiral perm (not a tight one) something like Taylor Swift. She said she could use a perm that would be easy on bleached hair but would recommend coloring it afterwards in about 3 months to one color, like a medium brown without the bleaching. I’m ok with this. The only question I have is this…. Is it safe to do this spiral this soon after coloring or should I wait and color it a brown color first to get the bleaching out? Any suggestions? My hair is thin and perms really give it the volume and texture I love!
December 9, 2009 at 10:42 am
Angela, coloring the hair brown before the perm would not be my first choice. Perms can fade color, so going darker after the perm makes more sense. (And once your hair is lightened, it is always lightened. Putting the brown over will not make it less damaged.) As to the timing, we generally recommend at least one week between chemical services, so you should be fine. Remember that when you have permed & colored hair it will be more fragile and need more conditioning and a gentle touch. Best of luck!
December 15, 2009 at 1:22 am
hello !
please i’d like to get a nice wavy perm . i live in london.. would u reccomend a place or a product or even a styliest for me and i’d really appreciate it if u added me so we can talk online and i send u a picture f how exactly my hair looks like .. thank u very much
December 15, 2009 at 11:28 am
I am sorry to say I have no personal contacts in London. Best of luck to you. 🙂
December 30, 2009 at 5:59 pm
i googled spiral perms long hair and i love how you did the blond haired clients hair..i also grew up when perms were the thing but my complaint was they took the rollers out and the hair still looked as it were on the rollers you can actually see seperate curls in this pic and i wish you were in raleigh nc to do my hair..i want to be able to say to some one you make it pretty however you want just leave some lenght and let them do it however..ifeel like im in a rut with the same do..also remember hot rollers i wish there was a perm with the bigger lock curls..
February 14, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Thank you for stating this! I was at first scared to get a perm, but didn’t want to believe the people saying the hurt you hair. I’m glad I have positive support now (:
February 21, 2010 at 10:47 pm
what kind of perm is this? I want this kind of perm…
like exactly how it is….
February 22, 2010 at 10:16 am
@Sarah: This is a standard perm, wrapped in a traditional pattern on aqua colored rods. The client has fine hair with a few highlights.
April 16, 2010 at 11:04 am
Hi i have layered hair that hits about three or four inches below my collar bone and the shortest layer is at the bottom of my hear lobe if not longer.
Im wanting curls that look like i curled them with a one inch curling iron. what kind of perm does that and will it stay tight to my head like that or not?
April 16, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Sorry to say the answer is no. No permanent will ever look like iron curled hair. 😦
April 26, 2010 at 8:01 pm
I have fine hair that goes down to about my collar bones. It’s fine but medium thickness. However, my hair is curly.. but it’s the kind that is curly underneath, some strands less curly than others… and then straighter ontop, and can get frizzy depending on the day and weather.. i have to manipulate it a LOT in order to get it looking the way i want it to.. i have been considering a perm for a while now so that i don’t have to manipulate my hair so much. Would you recommend a perm for my hair? Or maybe a styling product or styling tip..? it would be greatly appreciated 🙂
– Hair in distress
April 28, 2010 at 8:12 am
Hi!
I am contemplating on getting a perm, but not sure what i can do. I have straight hair…by “straight” i really mean straight – if i use curling iron, mousse, and tons of hairspray afterwards, my curls would last…maximum of 2-3 hours…that’s a maximum, then they just slowly go back to their normal straight state.
I also have fine hair, not really fine, like you can see through it, but it’s fine and it seems to be a lot of it. I coloured it at home about 3-4 weeks ago (Nutrisse dye from the store), but other than blowdrying it i don’t really do much with my hair.
do you think i can get a perm ( i want natural wavy type of curls, or a body wave perm…..something like natural waves like jessica biel’s hair)? Would that even take onto my straight hair? what are the chances of my hair falling out after the perm?
April 28, 2010 at 8:20 am
If your hair has been colored only once, a perm will most likely not cause any challenges. Hair that has been repeatedly colored can be porous and fragile and not only will it not perm well, it will be more damaged. A loose perm will most likely still require you to style the hair to get your desired result, but the style should last longer on the permed hair.
May 10, 2010 at 7:48 am
Thank you for your advice. I have coloured it only once in the past month or two, but i did color it bafore that….also at the same frequency….i usually don’t color my hair regularly, it’s just once in a blue moon. i guess i should not even bother with the perm then.
thank you once again.
janetta
April 30, 2010 at 6:50 pm
I have fine hair that goes down to about my collar bones. It’s fine but medium thickness. However, my hair is curly.. but it’s the kind that is curly underneath, some strands less curly than others… and then straighter ontop, and can get frizzy depending on the day and weather.. i have to manipulate it a LOT in order to get it looking the way i want it to.. i have been considering a perm for a while now so that i don’t have to manipulate my hair so much. Would you recommend a perm for my hair? Or maybe a styling product or styling tip..? it would be greatly appreciated
– Hair in distress
June 13, 2010 at 9:50 pm
nice one great stuff on your website ,will love to see some thing new
June 22, 2010 at 12:15 pm
I get my hair dyed every three months but I have a lot of bleach highlights can I still get a perm?
June 22, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Ask your hairdresser to do a stand test for best results.
June 22, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Thanks!
July 6, 2010 at 7:45 pm
My hair has never been cut/colored in my life! The most damage I would say it has is due to heat, (i.e flat iron, hot sticks; both of which I use maybe every other week). But I am getting to the point that I don’t want to add so much heat to my hair anymore. I’ve been thinking about a body wave, but I’m still not to sure. My hair is just past my rear. Any thoughts or suggestions?
July 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm
I went to get a perm about 4 days ago, and I showed pictures of fairly loose, bigger curls. The hairdresser used orange rollers, but when the perm was done and she had washed it out, it didn’t look very curly at all. She brushed out my hair to cut it and then told me it would be much curlier the next time I washed it. This morning I washed my hair for the first time, added curling mousse and gel, and a little bit of hairspray, but it was barely curling when it was damp, and now that it’s dry, there are only a few limp waves that are barely noticeable. Is there any way to fix this?? I wanted looser curls but I still wanted to be able to notice that I had curls in my hair. I paid a lot of money for the perm and I feel like it was a waste of time because my hair is now just a little frizzier and has a little more annoying volume, without the curls I was hoping for.
July 22, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I also forgot to mention, I have fairly long hair down to my chest, and the only color that has been put in it was 3 small strands of pink with bleach from over the spring.
August 23, 2010 at 1:39 pm
– hennaed hair (two applications) last one 3 months ago
– shoulder length thick wavy hair (obviously red!)
– grey roots
– would like to perm so roots are less noticable in grow-out
– possible? strand test for reaction… or are you familiar? sanne
August 23, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Perms are historically not compatible with perms, I am sorry to say.
December 1, 2010 at 7:25 pm
hi wow i want a spriel perm so now i want it even more! And great looks better than before!!!!!!!:]
December 4, 2010 at 8:58 am
I have ‘healthy hair’ from what I can tell.
Never dyed, but hardly brushed. : /
My hair slightly curls at the tips, thanks to Chemotherapy. My Dr says I may very well lose the ‘chemo hair’ within a few years. We shall see though.
I have it all, the completely nightmare.
Fine, thin, sparse hair.
While there is no sure fire solution to growing more hair, or in any other mean, ‘ADDING’ to the hair I do have, (pretty sure an official medical hair transplant may not even work), i figured I’d
ask opinions of a few different stylists about ‘perms’.
As of now, my ONLY options to wear my hair are, in a simple ponytail, or down. (I have to wear a lot of hair spray for the runnerband
to stay in! It’s THAT soft/thin/fine.)
I don’t expect miracles, but we shall see what transpires. Hope I can have hair that is not of an infant. At any cost!
March 23, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Okay so i have moderatly thick hair that comes an inch or more above the shoulder and my hair curls very easily, when i take a shower and wake up the next day my hair already has a poofy wave to it. I want my hair to grow out and not straighten it(to minimize damage)and i figured a loose perm would be okay to do but my hairdresser said she would not reccommend it and it was up to me
any help?
March 27, 2011 at 6:39 pm
Hi! I really want to get a perm to make my hair look like taylor swift’s hair.. but, i want it to be more blonde too. would it be ok to get a perm then get blonde highlights a few weeks later? please answer thanks
April 4, 2011 at 10:24 am
Hi,
I have a body wave perm that I got just a week ago. Can you tell me what I can use on my wet hair that won’t feel stiff? I have tried mousse and but I get that stiffness from it. Is there anything that will keep my hair soft as it dries? Hope you can help! Thanks
June 20, 2011 at 1:48 am
I have colored my hair so many times. I had to bleached it to get a red color hair. Would it be okay to get a perm or will my hair fall off? I have very thin hair and its so straight that I want something different
September 11, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Hello Aura Mae!
I am having a dilemma. I have hair just past my shoulders. Very, thick and heavy. I have it thinned about every 6 months. Only ever been highlighted once.
I usually blow out and flat iron my hair every day. I’m sick of taking this much time.
I am considering a “wave” perm JUST like the pic you posted here.
As you can see by the discussion below with was taken from my FB, my friends aren’t so for it.
I really don’t have $100 to spend every few months. Is it possible for me to maintain with a home perm once I’ve gotten a professional one and kind of seen how it’s done????
How often would I need to get one?
Is it really as DANGEROUS as people make it seem? If I just get a wave will my hair go crazy. curly, and frizzy?!?!?!
Could you please tell me what exactly to tell the stylist if I do go ahead with a wave?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! THANK YOU 🙂
Nicole Lyons Status
I’m considering a perm. I’m enticed by the ease of the hairstyle. Any thoughts on perms? Ever done a home perm?
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COMMENTS
Kika Garcia Do not do it… your hair is perfect just the way it is.. If you need body do a color.
Nicole Lyons I def don't need body! My hair is thick. I just don't have the patience to blow out my hair and straighten it every day which is what I have to do. I'm ready for a change! I love how my hair looks when it's wet and a little curly…it looks like a perm! Which is the look I like.
Jessica Young I did a perm about 2 years ago. If you want your hair VERY curly then go for it. I didn't like it until it calmed down after about 6 months. You also won't be able to straighten it so think about that. It is easier, but it will be very poufy and curly- tight curls – trust me 🙂
Dulce Shuman as soon as you get out of the shower add hair mousse and then scrunch it up…don't blow dry it just air dry it….before you decide on your perm, please try this. Perms are usually to harsh on your hair and they can look weird…i've seen it and is not pretty!!!! You already have thick hair so it will look even thicker!!!
Dulce Shuman oh, when you scrunch don't rub it…just carefully grab a piece of hair with your hand and scrunch up… if you do want to blow dry it with a diffuser, i can show you on skype how to do it… i was taught by my hair stylist in west texas… when we do it, it really looks nice.
Nicole Lyons All great points! Dulce Shuman, I'm gonna try the mouse. I'm not sure if my hair has enough natural curl but I'm gonna try!
Kathy Lyons Nicole…I would have it done professionally. Usually the home perms are a disaster….
Angela Schmidtke Nooooo…listen to Kika!
Lisa Gulley Too much work to maintain.
Nicole Lyons Is there such a thing as a "wave"? This is SOOOO pretty…… https://getsomehairapy.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/perms-are-not-evil/
Lisa Gulley Yes a body wave…still have to keep it "waved". Ask Kika.
November 11, 2011 at 2:11 pm
nice hair do
February 15, 2012 at 3:42 pm
I love the perm that is portrayed here! You did an amazing job! I am thinking of getting another perm but my last two perms over 4 years have been crap, I ask for loose and large curl to wave and I get the tight/frizzy/poodle looking crap that there are even some spots where it is straight. So although I desperately want another perm because my hair is so stringy and flat (no volume what- so- ever) I am scared to death. Which rods did you use on the perm here? I also color my roots often because at 37 I am 100% gray . Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you for anything that will help =0
February 15, 2012 at 3:47 pm
This was done with large rods, probably 3/4 inch in diameter.
February 15, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Thank you!
I think I will go ahead and try it one more time… I will just take tissue with this time just in case……..
April 30, 2012 at 4:03 pm
I Have waist length brown hair all one length, very healthy, I want volume and something new, what should I do?
May 30, 2013 at 10:05 am
I have highlighted hair (lots and lots) and want to get a perm cuz my hairs so straight and I get frustrated with trying to curl it( not to mention the curls die within hours) I’ve been reading a lot and everything says NO DON’T perm your bleach treated hair……is it possible for me to get it or no?
May 30, 2013 at 10:07 am
The only way to know for sure is with a test strand. There are perms for bleached hair, but every head of hair is different.
October 1, 2013 at 7:38 am
what type of perm is this cause i want mine just like that
October 1, 2013 at 8:52 am
This is a traditional perm wrapped on aqua (large) rods.
Azarra Salon & Wine 253-353-2872 (cell) 253-752-1519 (salon)
October 2, 2013 at 7:07 am
my hair is kinda wavy and two the bottom of my shoulder blade do you think this would be a good perm for my hair cause i am getteing my sr pictures done on the 16th
October 2, 2013 at 7:10 am
I wish I could answer that question without a thorough consultation, but you will need to talk to a hairdresser in your area. Take the picture with you so they know what you are wanting. Enjoy your photo shoot!
October 13, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Hi my name is Morgan and I wanna get a perm but idk wat kind to get and I had one done before. But idk wat kind to get now and my hair is not damaged and I have long hair with layers in it and it’s fine and I just wanna be able to curl it with the curling iron wat rods doi need because before they did the purple and white rods but it was so hard to get all the kinks out with blow drying it to make my hair look straight so I cud curl it with the curling iron please help
October 13, 2013 at 8:15 pm
White and purple rods are quite small for what you want. There are lots of larger size rods that will give you wave and style support without curl. Your hairdresser should be able to show you a few options.
November 3, 2013 at 1:53 pm
do you think you could tell me the larger sizes or options because talking to my hair dresser for a perm is difficult i feel like she doesn’t understand me.
November 3, 2013 at 1:58 pm
also im still letting my length grow the perm wont mess that up will it as long as i use a heat protectant and leave in condition i will be fine right? also the perm is iso and its very gentle but strong enough for my hair type. one more thing there is a certain style im trying to do its this link right here but after i brush my curls out and its curly and fluffy like hers after an hour it goes flat or straight but i think that was before when another lady didnt give me a good perm could you help me as to what im doing wrong
November 3, 2013 at 2:29 pm
heres the link sorry
November 22, 2013 at 7:34 pm
How often should a person perm there hair this time lady used peach rods and I didn’t it in November but then when I brushed my hair out there was breakage so I don’t know if it came from the perm or if it came from too much hairspray and the lady said I might need to space the timeout for perms and I got it done the first week off November and now some pieces are straight so wat do u think I should do or how often should I get it done
November 22, 2013 at 7:37 pm
And now since some pieces are straight I’m scared it won’t hold curl so what could I do to mAke the perm last longer. Also some said cud perm the re growth without doing all over perm and won’t be as damaging is that true and could you explain it to me as well incase I’m wrong
November 22, 2013 at 8:19 pm
Perming the same hair multiple times can result in hair that won’t hold the curl. Hair varies in texture and strength, so I would recommend that your stylist perform a strand test to check the porosity and strength before proceeding with another chemical service. Best of luck to you.
Azarra Salon & Wine 253-353-2872 (cell) 253-752-1519 (salon)
December 21, 2013 at 3:42 am
What would be the best perm for bleached hair. I have a client whom bleaches and perms her hair a lot and she recently asked me to do one for her what perm would you recommend?
December 23, 2013 at 10:21 am
I don’t have a preference of one company’s product over another. If the perm is for bleached hair, it should be fine. It will be a soft curl, not crisp and snappy.
Azarra Salon & Wine 253-353-2872 (cell) 253-752-1519 (salon)
June 13, 2014 at 9:25 pm
I am african American cosmetology graduate and recently bleached my hair… I have seen licence stylist that have clients with healthy bleached relaxed hair.. What can I do to achieve that?
June 15, 2014 at 3:49 pm
I am not an expert in highly textured hair. I don’t attempt to bleach and relax the same hair. Best of luck to you in your new career!
http://www.auramae.com Azarra Salon & Wine 253-353-2872 (cell) 253-752-1519 (salon)
On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 9:25 PM, Get Some Hairapy! wrote:
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June 15, 2014 at 7:04 am
hi. I just did a loose big curl perm to make it like waves. I don’t exactly think I like it . can I wash it out the next day? how long before I can get the spiral perm done ?
June 15, 2014 at 3:51 pm
I would speak to your stylist before proceeding. The answer to these questions depend on the type of perm used and the state of your hair before and after the perm.
http://www.auramae.com Azarra Salon & Wine 253-353-2872 (cell) 253-752-1519 (salon)
On Sun, Jun 15, 2014 at 7:04 AM, Get Some Hairapy! wrote:
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June 28, 2014 at 10:26 pm
Hi I have very straight fine baby hair and Im so annoyed that in the wind it blows everywhere and then sits like strands. Nothing nice about it at all. I am trying products like loreal elvive serum and everstrong overnight serum to give it strenght and voulume however I need some help I think .I want hair I can wash, just scrunch up, let air dry then run a large comb through it and hopefully double the thickness hair. What do you recommend? In the 80s and 90s I did have some perms but left some damage. I have been using casting creme gloss on my roots only for the last few years, mainly covering up gray but my hair is also very brittle.
June 28, 2014 at 10:27 pm
Forgot to add its about 1 inch over shoulder length at the moment and about half the thickness of the model on this page
June 30, 2014 at 9:16 am
If your hair is brittle, then a perm is not a great idea.
July 2, 2014 at 3:45 pm
I have about a little longer than shoulder length hair medium thickness and curls very easy, I am wanting to get a perm to make styling easier I am wanting something similar to the link I have below, I was wondering if alternating orange and peach rods will get me to this result. Thanks for any info you can give me!!
http://www.dailybend.com/how-to-create-low-maintenance-hair-for-fall-13122011/
July 2, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Orange and peach might work for this depending on how well your hair takes. Remember that perms relax up to 30% in the first month. On Jul 2, 2014 3:45 PM, “Get Some Hairapy!” wrote:
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July 2, 2014 at 3:58 pm
My hair permed very well in the past but I have had 2 kids since then so who know now LOL I just don’t want to curly but not curly enough LOL if that makes sense. Even if it relaxes a little I wouldn’t mind. Thanks for your help!!
September 30, 2015 at 9:17 am
Hi Aura, this perm is beautiful! I’m going tomorrow to reclaim my curly hair after 15 years of either short or straight! I have been growing my hair for over a year now. I’m finally at a length I feel comfortable and I’ve stopped coloring it as I’m embracing my greys! My hair has always taken very well to a perm. I really want what you achieved in the picture. Could you please let me know how it was wrapped and the rods used? Thank you for your time and for sharing your art with us! Danielle
September 30, 2015 at 9:34 am
Danielle, this perm was done on aqua rods (perm rods are sized by color) which is really a body wave. The curl in the picture is fresh and will relax about 30% in the first month. If you want a firmer curl over time, you will want to start with a smaller rod. Also, ask your stylist about Olaplex. It’s an amazing tool for perms!
Owner: Azarra Salon & Wine Host: Great American Amateur Kitchen
@auramaefood http://www.auramae.com http://www.azarra.com 253-353-2872 (cell) 253-752-1519 (salon)
On Wed, Sep 30, 2015 at 9:17 AM, Get Some Hairapy! wrote:
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