Unlike when the style first appeared, today's perm has a modern touch. Solutions and perm-wrap techniques have evolved with technology. Perms are no longer about over-processed, tight curls leaving the hair feeling brittle. Instead, they add texture and volume with soft, loose waves that look shiny and silky smooth.
Perms used to be required in beauty school, but they aren't anymore. A lot of people graduate from beauty school having done one or two, at most, often none. Then they do maybe half a dozen a year and those are mostly on older women.
Perming skills fell out of trend so nobody trained up in it as much - those chemicals can muck your hair up if you're not careful so you don't want someone uncertain playing with them.
Perming has come a long way since the tight curly styles of the 1980s! Modern perms are designed to look more natural than they used to. We have moved away from tiny perm rollers and now use much larger rollers which allow us to create bigger curls and waves.
A permanent wave, commonly called a perm or permanent (sometimes called a "curly perm" to distinguish it from a "straight perm"), is a hairstyle consisting of waves or curls set into the hair. The curls may last a number of months, hence the name.
Unlike when the style first appeared, today's perm has a modern touch. Solutions and perm-wrap techniques have evolved with technology. Perms are no longer about over-processed, tight curls leaving the hair feeling brittle. Instead, they add texture and volume with soft, loose waves that look shiny and silky smooth.
Unlike the traditional cold perm, which uses a liquid solution and indirect heat, Digital Perm utilizes a cream solution and a professional machine to heat the rods before applying them to the hair. This modern process results in longer-lasting curls or waves.
Perms for short hair can cost $30 to $150, medium-length hair can cost $60 to $200, and perms for long hair can cost $80 to $400. Short hair is the least expensive since it uses the least amount of product and the least amount of time to prep and install the perm rods.
The most natural-looking perm is the beach wave perm which creates loose waves throughout the hair.
Times have changed, and there are now many types of perms to choose from. Regardless of whether you have long, short, curly or straight hair, there's a perm style for your hair type.
During the perm process, skin irritation, hair breakage, oral toxicity, and scarring alopecia can occur if the chemicals are not used correctly. Perms are not recommended for younger people. Studies have shown that children between 10 and 13 years old using chemical perms have a higher risk of breast cancer.
As we step into 2025, the world of hairstyling is witnessing a resurgence of perms, with modern twists that cater to diverse hair types and personal styles. At Charles Ifergan Salons, our expert stylists are embracing this trend, offering a variety of perm styles designed to enhance texture, volume, and individuality.
Body wave perm
Adds volume and soft, loose waves to hair, creating a natural, fuller look. This technique uses larger rods to create a gentler curl pattern. The process typically takes 2-3 hours and results can last 3-5 months. Body wave perms are ideal for those wanting movement and volume without tight curls.
“Perming doesn't get taught to hairstylists like it did in the 80s, so the technique has kind of died out a bit,” says Hersheson. “It's really important that the person you go to understands perms. You also need someone who will tell you not to have it done if your hair isn't in the right condition.
Cold perms, also known as acid perms, are often considered gentler on the hair compared to traditional heat-based methods. The process uses a milder acidic solution, which is less damaging to the hair's structure.
Tip 1 - Bleached/Pre Lightened hair cannot be permed
Thus before each color, always be sure to ask your stylist what goes into your hair. Inform your stylist that you intend to perm your hair in the near future, thus your hair cannot be bleached or pre lightened.
Luckily, there are ways to get bouncy curls, soft waves, or gorgeous waves without causing any harm. If you've been wanting a head full of gorgeous curls without the damage, using rag curlers, foam curlers, a curling iron, or scrunching your hair could be the perfect options for you.
Thin hair is already delicate, and subjecting it to the chemical solutions and heat involved in perming can potentially lead to additional damage. The stress caused by the perming process may result in breakage, frizziness, and overall compromised hair health.
Basic Perms offer versatile curl patterns, while Spiral Perms deliver more distinctive ringlet curls. Lifestyle and Maintenance Requirements: Spiral Perms may require more attention and maintenance than Basic Perms. Reflect on your daily routine, lifestyle, and desire for upkeep when making a choice.
The Negatives of a Hair Perm
For one, hair perms require incredibly strong chemicals to alter the hair's natural shape and texture, and these chemicals can cause long-lasting damage to the hair strand that can progressively weaken and degrade the hair strand with frequent treatments.
A perm typically lasts three to six months, depending on the type of perm you get, your hair type and how well you take care of it. A traditional perm that produces a uniform curl pattern can last 3-6 months, depending on how fast your hair grows and how you treat it.
Difference between a normal perm and a digital perm
A normal perm, or "cold perm," makes the wave most prominent when the hair is wet, and loose when it is dry. The hair tends to look moist and as locks. A digital perm makes the wave most prominent when the hair is dry, and loose when it is wet.
As we step into 2024, the world of hairstyling is witnessing a resurgence of a classic trend—the perm. Once associated with the big, voluminous curls of the '80s, the modern perm has evolved into a versatile and trendy styling option.
Digital Perm
The digital perm offers a more modern perm type that was invented in Japan. It creates waves or soft curls. The process: This hot perm uses an acid solution to break your hair's bonds and allow it to be reshaped.
Photo by AMOS PROFESSIONAL. Photo of the Korean actress, HAN Jimin. The hippie perm is a hair perm that goes from the root to the tip, like the hippies who protested against materialism in American society in the 1960s.