Everything You Need To Know About Perms To Help You Decide If It’s Right For You

Curly hair has certainly taken center stage in the world of beauty and fashion, inspiring countless fashion enthusiasts, aficionados, and stylists, ushering in a new era in hair styling that lets people achieve textured styles.

The renewed interest has reignited the spark, indicating a significant comeback for perms. A chemical treatment that transforms pin-straight hair into very charming and captivating, bouncy, voluminous curls. However, before booking your appointment, there are several crucial factors to consider.

At Guys & Dolls Hair Salon in Fort Lauderdale, our award-winning veterans have assisted hundreds of clients, helping them achieve their curl goals via expert perm services. Garnering over 600 Google reviews, our satisfied customers are our major success stories, who trust us and find us a credible and authentic source that understands the significance of perms through careful consideration and a thorough assessment of hair condition, lifestyle, and expectations.

A perm indeed breathes new life into flat, lifeless hair, adding body, texture, and movement. The chemical process is quite intricate, and although it may be suitable for some, it may not be ideal for everyone. Taking care of the current condition of your hair, including its color history and texture, all of these factors play a vital role in determining whether switching to a perm will add to the plumpness, volume, curl, waviness, and texture of your flat, lifeless hair or cause unwanted damage.

The Perm Process- Understanding the Basics

Perms defined

A perm works by using chemical solutions to break down and reshape the bonds of your hair

structure. It is with the application of those specially sized rods that your stylist wraps sections of hair around them, applying the perming solution further to create waves or curls. The process is quite comprehensive and takes around 3-4 hours in total, which also depends heavily on the length of your hair and the desired curl pattern.

The results here are expected to last approximately six months, provided that proper care and maintenance are maintained. Not to forget, the longevity of your perms is entirely dependent on the type of hair you possess, the products you apply at home, and how closely you follow the aftercare instructions.

There are two major types of perming solutions: traditional perms (which use ammonium thioglycolate) and thio-free perms (which use cysteamine hydrochloride). Your stylist at Guys & Dolls Hair Salon will recommend the best option based on your hair’s condition and sensitivity.

When are Perms Not Recommended?

Best Perms

Before you fall in love with the idea of perms, it is essential to recognize when and why a perm is not recommended and might not be suitable for you. Due to certain hair conditions and histories, dwelling on perms could lead to damaging results that may be disappointing.

Hair with Extensive Highlights

If your hair has extensive highlights or bleaching, perming may not be a recommended solution for your hair condition. The chemical used in the perming process might not mix adequately with bleach or lightener, making your hair prone to breakage and further damage. This could cover uneven curl patterns or hair that feels like straw. Our expert stylists at Guys & Dolls Hair Salon carefully evaluate your color history during consultations to prevent these issues.

Overly Dry Hair

Damaged or overly dry hair, whose quality has been compromised due to heat styling, previous chemical treatments, or environmental damage, is a candidate that should certainly not opt for perming. With perms, the use of chemical treatments can cause further damage by adding more chemicals to weakened hair strands, stripping them of their remaining natural moisture, and leaving them vulnerable to severe breakage.

If, therefore, your hair feels brittle with a dull quality, or maybe breaks easily, you should focus on restorative treatments first.

Very Short Layered Cuts

Short layers present their distinctive challenges when perming. With short, layered cuts, a delicate balance must be maintained between creating a beautiful texture and ending up with overly tight, unflattering curls. While delving deeply into the process, the rod size also becomes highly critical. A size that is too large will not achieve any curl patterns, and a size that is too small will undoubtedly result in ringlets that may look outdated rather than modern.

Compatibility Between Hair Color and Perm

Most hair, fashion, and lifestyle aficionados and enthusiasts stay stuck, wondering whether they could maintain their color routine with a perm. The answer most significantly depends on the specific hair color history and the type of color service chosen. Single-process semi-permanent or demi-permanent colors hold their compatibility with perming.

However, permanent hair color and highlighting services require more careful consideration. At Guys & Dolls Hair Salon, our stylists review your complete hair history—not just your current color, but everything you’ve done to your hair over the past several years.

This can be easily understood with an example: you are currently brown-haired, but were platinum blonde two years ago; those previously highlighted sections of hair continue to exist underneath your current hair color. Hence, perming this hair could leave your strands damaged due to further breakage.

If your hair’s history and condition allow for perming, timing plays a crucial role. We would personally recommend a wait period of 2-4 weeks between your hair color and perming. There is a delicate yet fine balance between perming and coloring, with perming being done before coloring, as the perming process could cause the color to fade. It is advisable to follow your perming process with a pigmented gloss treatment to restore moisture while maintaining the vibrant color.

The Best Perm Wrapping Techniques

The Best Perm Wrapping Techniques

It is fascinating to see how your hair is wrapped around the perm, which, when done successfully during the perming process, would significantly determine your final curl pattern. Our skilled stylists at Guys & Dolls Hair Salon employ a range of techniques to create a diverse array of looks.

Spiral Perms

Spiral perms create corkscrew-style curls wrapping the hair in vertical arrangements around small rods. This technique requires the application of multiple rods and small sections, resulting in defined, bouncy curls. Based on your desired curl tightness and the hair length, the rod size is essentially determined.

Body Wave Perms

A body wave perm is defined as a chemical hair treatment that creates loose, natural-looking curls. These require the application of large rollers and gentler perming solutions that add depth, flamboyance, charisma, and volume through soft movement to the hair, preventing tight curl formation. Body wave perms are essential for those seeking a more relaxed, casual, and beachy texture, with waves that look naturally tousled.

Spot Perms

Spot perms involve strategically placing rods that, when positioned in specific areas, address particular concerns. This would simply mean that, for example, if you possess naturally curly hair that is straight on top, a spot perm would create a uniform texture. Spot perms also add to the volume, stability, and strength of the naturally curly strands, adding a sense of uniformity. From enhancing layers to matching natural curl patterns, spot perms create a perfectly balanced look.

Pin Curl Perms

Pin curl perms, in particular, depict a perm pattern that is typically well-suited for shorter hairstyles. These, when applied, would create a lot of bounce and movement. This technique involves pinning sections of hair, wrapped into flat curls, and secured close to the scalp. A perming solution is then applied to set the shape.

The treatment creates soft, vintage-style curls with a defined yet natural appearance. Pin curl perms are ideal for shorter hair or those seeking a classic, bouncy curl pattern without the use of rollers.

Multi-Textured Perms

Multi-textured perms are a type of perm that combines different wrapping techniques to create varying curl patterns throughout your hair. The perming process yields a more natural, lived-in appearance that lends itself well to wash-and-go styling.

This technique yields a more natural, layered appearance that mimics the way real curls fluctuate in size and shape. It’s ideal for people with layered cuts or those who want a more realistic, voluminous curl style, adding depth and dimension.

Required Aftercare for Healthy Perm Hair

Healthy Perm Hair

Thorough aftercare significantly determines if your perm will continue looking naturally salon-fresh, staying consistent for months, or else may fall flat within weeks. Is it the most important rule? You need to wait 48 hours before washing your hair after getting a perm. Do not wash too soon, as this can lead to more relaxed curls and an uneven-looking texture.

Permed hair tends to be drier than natural hair, thereby making the constant application of moisture-rich products essential. Use sulfate-free shampoos and deep conditioning treatments weekly to keep your strands nourished and moisture-rich, while maintaining adequate hydration.

At Guys & Dolls Hair Salon, we recommend specific product regimens tailored to your hair type and perm style.

You should avoid brushing wet, permed hair, as this can disrupt your curl pattern and cause frizz. Apply a wide-toothed comb, or use your fingers to gently and loosely entangle. When styling your permed hair, scrunch products into damp hair, allowing it to air dry, or use a diffuser attachment on a low heat setting.

Consistent trims every 6-8 weeks would certainly help keep the perm shape intact, thereby removing any damaged ends. Regular sessions with the stylist help them assess how your perm is holding up, and they recommend any necessary adjustments to your routine if needed.

Choose What’s Right for Your Hair

Aftercare for Healthy Perm Hair

Make the right decisions when investing both time and money, getting the right perm. The cost of which depends on factors including hair length, thickness, and the complexity of your desired style. At Guys & Dolls Hair Salon, we always recommend scheduling a consultation before committing to the service.

Our expert stylists closely and thoroughly assess your hair condition, discussing your lifestyle and styling preferences, and may also perform a test strand to preview how your hair will respond to the perming process. The preview, therefore, is an assurance that you will love your results, thus avoiding any unwanted surprises later.

FAQs

1. How to tell if the perm could suit my face shape and lifestyle?

Professional consultation is the way to determine if the perm will work adequately for your hair type. Our skilled experts and stylists at Guys & Dolls Hair Salon assess your face shape, hair texture, and daily routine to recommend the most suitable perm type for you.

Herein, you can bring reference photos of the curl patterns you adore most, which will serve as visual examples to help determine if that particular style suits your hair, thereby ensuring you and your stylist are on the same page.

2. What factors should you consider when choosing a perm style?

From your current hair condition to its length and the natural texture, these factors quite significantly determine which perm style works best for you. Another crucial factor is the style you choose and the time commitment you can afford. When selecting a perm style, your choice may be significantly influenced by the set of products needed to maintain its appearance. In contrast, others may require more flexibility for various styling options.

3. Is perming safe for all hair types?

Perms work well, showing greater compatibility, particularly with healthier hair types that have not been heavily processed. Hair that has been repeatedly colored, bleached, highlighted, or exposed to such chemical treatments is not suitable for perming. Our Fort Lauderdale stylists thoroughly evaluate your hair’s elasticity and porosity before recommending whether a perm is safe for your specific situation.

4. To what extent could perms damage your hair?

When performed correctly on suitable hair, perms should cause minimal damage. Even minimal chemical treatment can alter hair structure and affect moisture. Success with perming depends on expert assessment and care.

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