Avoid washing your hair for at least 48 hours after getting a perm to allow the curls to set properly. Choose a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo to prevent stripping moisture from your hair. Look for products specifically designed for curly or permed hair. Use a moisturizing conditioner every time you wash your hair.
Avoid using curling irons, hair straighteners, and other heat styling tools as much as possible, as they can damage your perm. If you must use heat styling, be sure to use a heat protectant spray first. Don't wash your hair too often.
Ongoing Perm Maintenance
Don't use products that contain parabens, sulphates, or alcohol as these can ruin your perm.
Overnight Care For Permed Hair
Before going to bed, braid or loosely twist your hair to avoid tangling and preserve the contour of the curls. Next, wear a silk or satin hat or scarf to shield your hair from rubbing and reduce frizz.
You'll also make your perm last longer with the right sleep routine. Make sure to sleep on your stomach or side instead of your back, which will put pressure on your permed hair. You could also use a silk cap for sleeping to help keep your hair from matting.
No don't wash it. I'm not a hairdresser but I've had many perms over the years. You don't always like the way it's been styled but you will find that your perm will drop, you've only just had it done so leave it be. The risk of washing too soon is that it will deactivate the perm.
Wait before washing your hair
You can't get your perm wet, put it up or even touch it much while the chemicals reset your strands. Even after getting your perm, washing it everyday will affect the longevity of your curls, so prolong the gap between washes as long as possible.
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.
Neutralizer: a neutralising liquid for perms, containing hydrogen peroxide to restructure and strengthen the hair's bonds.
Avoid combing your hair in the first 24 hours. Use your fingers to gently style the hair and to twirl the curls around your face. When you do comb, use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to gently detangle your wet hair while it's covered with the conditioner. Use gentle strokes to avoid breakage.
Don't comb thru your hair during the first 48 hours. Leave it alone as much as possible. Don't use any products in your hair especially leave ins and conditioners. You want to try to keep your hair on the same ph level until the waiting period is up.
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.
For the most part, touching your hair and curls will not cause a lot of damage, but in the first couple of days, you want to be careful. This time is the time when your curls are at their most fragile, after all. If you mess with them too much, you may accidentally ruin the shape and structure of your new perm.
Frizziness is a common issue with permed hair, especially if it's not properly moisturized. To combat frizz, make sure you're using a sulfate-free, moisturizing shampoo and a rich conditioner. Apply a leave-in conditioner or curl cream specifically designed for curly or permed hair.
If your stylist doesn't allow the perm to process for the right amount of time, your hair can either get too curly (making your perm look frizzy) or not curly enough (resulting in limp, loose waves). Depending on hair length, getting a perm should take around two to three hours.
Keeping your permed hair safe overnight might be the most difficult task yet. Regular cotton pillowcases can cause friction that damages your hair. Sleep on a satin pillowcase instead to give your hair the freedom to move without damage. You could tie your hair up in a loose bun, braids, or do the plop method.
Avoid washing your hair for the first 48 to 72 hours.
After you get a perm, avoid shampooing or conditioning your hair for the first 48 to 72 hours. As Foster explains, the best way to maintain the look of a perm is “to avoid water.” Water can deactivate your perm and make the curls fall apart.
First, condition hair immediately, then blow-dry hair using a large round brush. You may also need to set hair on large rollers. If your perm is still too curly, ask you stylist about a curl reducing service.
Using leave-in conditioner
They protect hair for blow drying and heat styling. They give dyed and permed hair extra nourishment and stop breakage. And leave-in conditioner is vital to support curly hair's shape, bounce, and texture.
Leaving your newly permed hair to air-dry will lead to frizz and unruly curls. Blow-drying in a twisting motion helps define the curls to your desired style and keep them looking smooth.