Perms: All You Need To Know

If you think about it, perms have never really gone out of style. They’ve always been around. If you’ve never gotten a perm, then maybe it’s time to finally try one this year!

In today's article, we'll tell you all you need to know about perms!

What’s a perm?

The first question that needs to be answered is: What is permed hair? If you’re wondering, should I get a perm, you’ll need to know exactly what the process entails to make an informed decision.

A perm is a treatment done to your hair in order to permanently make your strands wavy or curly. The term comes from the word ‘permanent’, since the effect typically lasts until you cut it off or until your hair falls out. Of course, if you don’t take proper care of it, your perm will eventually lose its form.

Read on for the essential things to know before getting a perm.

Are All Perms The Same?

There are actually plenty of different types of perms. The difference usually lies in what kind of wrap was used for the perm.

Is it hard to care for permed hair?

In a way, it’s still the same as when you’re caring for regular hair, or any other treated hair. But of course, there are a few additions. Similar to other chemically treated hair, permed hair is a bit more high-maintenance than regular, non-treated hair after all.

After getting a perm, your stylist will likely give you some words of advice. Here are just some of them:

• Don’t shampoo hair for at least 3 days after getting a perm. The chemicals used in the perm need some time to set in. By washing your hair immediately, you’re not allowing them to set in properly, which could lead to your perm not turning out correctly or getting ruined.
• Less shampoo, less mistake. Permed hair is very prone to becoming dry. If you want to keep your hair from drying out, you should only shampoo a couple of times per week.
• Replace your hair products with products formulated specifically for permed hair, which tends to differ from those created for regular hair in mind.

What should I know before getting a perm?

Alright, so let’s say you do feel like you want a perm now, but you may still be wondering about what to know before getting a perm. The thing is, there are a couple of things that you need to check first before you should get a perm.

The most important thing to check is the condition of your hair.

Is it dry? Is it frizzy? Do you suffer from a lot of split-ends? If your hair suffers from any sort of damage, then you should probably not get a perm, at least for now. Try to get your hair treated first and once it manages to bounce back, that’s the time when you should be getting a perm.

We’ll also talk about this topic in more detail in a separate article, so be sure to check it out.

As you can see, perming isn’t something that you should do on a whim. It requires a lot of planning and thinking beforehand. If you really want to get a perm, you should be ready in all aspects.

For more perm-related articles, don’t forget to check out our ZALA blog!