The Student Room Group

Considering having hair permed?

I've always had long straight hair, and I'm thinking about having it permed into loose curls in the hair dressers.I'm quite nervous as I don't quite know if it'll turn out alright having heard a few rumours that it'll ruin my hair etc :confused:...does anyone have any information or past experiences about perming their hair?

Thankyou :smile:
Original post by RaspBerry5
I've always had long straight hair, and I'm thinking about having it permed into loose curls in the hair dressers.I'm quite nervous as I don't quite know if it'll turn out alright having heard a few rumours that it'll ruin my hair etc :confused:...does anyone have any information or past experiences about perming their hair?

Thankyou :smile:


You cannot really perm hair to give yourself 'loose curls' even top hairdressing salons do not seem to understand this. Perms were created to break the bonds in the hair so it could be styled and retain that style between washes. Very straight hair will not hold a temporary curl very well and if you have a perm applied to the hair and then wind the hair (after washing) on rollers or curl with a tong it will retain that look and also give more body.

You cannot (however) expect to have the hair permed and then get this loose cascading curl without styling the hair afterwards. People (under 30) nowadays have real trouble understanding perms because they weren't aware of them when they were last big back in the 1980s. In the 1980's people didn't set or style perms but scrunched them up when drying with mousse. The hair was really crisp and brittle but that was the fashion. This 'scrunchy' look is what a new perm will look like if you don't curl it after washing with rollers or tongs.

Unlike current salon hair services a perm will not behave particularly well when its first done. In fact, many people hate perms when they are first done (and always did) because the hair feels so strange. After a few weeks the perm drops and becomes more likely to be washed and worn (without the need for styling). However, if you have the hair permed on very large rods its too loose and after two weeks falls out to nothing leaving your hair kinked and slightly dry. This is why most people nowadays say "I had a perm and I hated it, it was big and dry at first and then fell out and left my hair in really bad condition". It wasn't the perms fault, they just had it done completely incorrectly for the result they were looking for.

You are better having the hair permed on blue rods in a spiral wind. When this is first done it will look incredibly curly, however you can set the hair on rollers (or heated rollers), or even tong it with a larger barral after every wash. This will give you the loose curls you are looking for. What's more these curls will not drop (because you have perm in the hair), instead they will stay until you next wash.

Whilst the perm may (initially) look too tight to wear in it's natural state, after a couple of weeks it will drop and you will find it starts becoming easier to just leave to dry naturally. A perm (initially) will dry the hair out (because it strips the hair of the surface lipids) but after a couple of weeks these oils return. This is why going with a firmer curl initially gives a much better long term result. Argan Oil is great to apply to newly washed and permed hair to replenish this lost moisture.

As I said, many salons have promoted this 'loose perm' but in all my years of experience with this hair technology - they are just not worth it (unless you have short hair). You are still putting the hair through the same chemical process - its just the large perm rods create such a loose curl the shape doesn't retain longer than a few weeks before it drops out to nothing. Go with the smaller rods and get the tighter result initially and you will (eventually) have a perm you can wash and leave without needing to wind on rollers to get the loose curl you want.

You are also better going to a hairdressing college and asking a Level 3 student to perm your hair on that blue rod spiral wind. If you go to a regular salon they only know how to do a traditional perm and will give you a nine section wind. This wind will give you an old fashioned 'crinkley' curl. You need a spiral wind so the curl is the same width from root to tip.

Perms are really fantastic as long as you understand they are designed to remain in your hair for a long time. They are also not at all compatible with bleach. So if you have a lot of bleach or lightening on your hair avoid them!

I hope that helps

Scott
Reply 2
Hi,

thankyou so much that was really helpful!! I have a plan now, and your advice was simply marvellous :smile:

Much gratitude in your direction :biggrin:
Reply 3
yeah.... thanks for this,,,,,
Well answered, Scott!
Well answered, Scott.
Reply 6
Great, am upset tho as my hair is highlighted. So I should stick to rollers? How do I get the body created to stay as long as poss? ie, which products, my hair is fine but plenty of it.thank you!
I wish you could perm my hair. I can't find anyone who understand a perm in my area. You sound amazing. 😁
Hi ya I'm looking to get my hair perked. I want a corkscrew perm plz
Changing da hair a bit, huh?
Original post by Jinkazama
yeah.... thanks for this,,,,,

Changing da hair a bit, huh?