Perms work best on healthy, strong hair which hasn't been bleached, dyed, or chemically-treated. If you're concerned your hair may be too damaged to perm, speak to your stylist - they'll be able to give you the best advice.
Hair Condition: If your hair is damaged or overly processed from previous treatments (like coloring or straightening), it may not perm effectively. Timing: If the perm solution is not left on for the correct amount of time, it may not properly penetrate the hair shaft, leading to weak or nonexistent curls.
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.
“If your hair is damaged, overly processed, or has a lot of split ends, you may not be the best candidate for a perm,” he warns. “The chemicals in the perm solution can further weaken damaged hair.”
Hair Type – Generally, perms work best on hair that is not overly coarse or resistant to chemical treatments. Hair that is naturally straight or slightly wavy (1A to 2A) is ideal for the perm process. Length – Shorter hair can be permed, but longer hair holds curls and texture better.
Similarly, if your hair is already very dry or breakage prone because of frequent heat-styling, a dry climate, your genetics, or even illness, this may not be the best time to think about perming your hair. The best time to have a perm—rather, when the perm is most successful—is when you have healthy 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.
If you want your perm to last, you'll need to consider its exposure to water. Continuously subjecting a perm to activities like swimming, frequent shampooing or wet weather will damage the longevity of your perm. Getting it wet opens your hair's cuticle, releasing the chemicals used to set the perm.
“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.
Fact #4: Avoid perming your hair if they are exceptionally thin or coarse. On the one hand, when the hair is too fine, it lacks the elasticity and strength to hold the curls in place. Consequently, the curls either don't last, or they tend to have lots of flyaways.
When done correctly and by a professional, with your specific hair type in mind, perms are relatively safe for the health of your hair. But those with damaged, dry, chemically processed, and colored hair should proceed with caution when considering a perm.
The most natural-looking perm is the beach wave perm which creates loose waves throughout the hair.
Ongoing Perm Maintenance
Don't use products that contain parabens, sulphates, or alcohol as these can ruin your perm.
If the chemical overstays, then the hair becomes over processed. If the chemical is left for less time than intended, then the hair becomes under processed and comes out looking frizzled. The chemical solution needs to be completely rinsed off from the hair, otherwise the hair will get damaged and start breaking off.
A reverse perm is actually the process of taking curl OUT of hair. It can be used to change a naturally tight curl to a looser curl. It is often referred to as retexturizing.
Among the types of medications that affect perm results are hormones or high blood pressure medications which tend to make a perm "take" faster than normal. It is believed that these medications raise the temperature of the scalp which accelerates the perm process.
when hair is damaged and neglected, the hair bonds are generally broken. thus, hair will not have the elasticity and resilience to undergo digital (heat) perm. more often than not, the curls will turn out to be “lifeless” or even “fried”.
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.
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.
If it is not curly enough, wait at least a week to redo it. If your hair is not in good enough condition to re-perm, you may have to trim your hair and wait until your hair is ready to perm again.
There are numerous reasons: a bad choice of perm or formula; too much water used during wrapping; not enough water blotted from hair before neutralizing; the stylist missed or skipped a step; hair had excess build-up; a poor consultation, in which the client forgot to tell the stylist something that could have affected ...
Spiral perm
Creates tight, corkscrew curls using long vertical rods. The hair is wound around the rods from scalp to tip, creating a spiral pattern. This style usually takes 2-3 hours to complete and can last 4-6 months. Spiral perms work best on longer hair and create a dramatic, voluminous look.
"Over-bleached hair, highlighted hair, over-colored hair, and porous hair types should not get a perm," says James, "as the hair will disintegrate." While frizz can be smoothed with product, it can also be a sign of serious breakage caused by frayed cuticles.
If you're concerned your hair may be too damaged to perm, speak to your stylist - they'll be able to give you the best advice. Perms are popular with people with straight hair, but people with curly hair often have them to add body and bounce to their curls, or make them more uniform.
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.