It is no surprise that permed hair, a classic style in the 80s, is now the in-thing. What’s not to like about the hairstyle? It saves you the time you use to curl your hair. It is fashionable, and you can rock it with most of the clothes in your wardrobe. Besides, it is cost-effective.
While this hairstyle leaves you looking classic and chic, it has a little problem. Permed hair is achieved through a chemical process that makes your hair lose its original strength and texture. We’ll show you how to solve this problem later in this article. But here’s how the perming process works.
Table of Contents
The Perming Process
When you meet with your hairstylist for a perm, here’s what happens.
Your stylist applies a perm solution to your hair while it is in curlers. This perm solution can be acidic or alkaline, depending on your hair texture. An alkaline solution works best for coarse and resistant hair. An acidic solution is better for fragile and break-prone hairs. These solutions break down the keratin in your hair, making it soft and easy to style. If you read this article on how to take care of keratin-treated hair, you’d learn more about keratin.
Afterward, hydrogen peroxide or any similar neutralizer will be applied to your hair. Your stylist lets your hair set for a while before taking it out of the curlers. Once your hair is free, it remains curled until you decide to change your permed hairstyle.
Like your synthetic and natural hair, you ought to care for your permed hair. The following are some of the ways to do that.
Ask Questions About Your Perm
Do you know how you ask lots of questions about someone that catches your fancy? Yes, it should be the same way with your perm. Ask your stylist questions about properly caring for your permed hair and what things you should avoid. Stick to the instructions you receive, and it’ll help you avoid bad hair days.
However, Hair Domain is your go-to online stylist, and you can follow the directions given.
Skip Frequent Hair Wash
We know water is life, but not to your newly permed hair. Water and permed hair do not go so well together. Please, ensure you don’t wash your hair for the first three days after you get a perm. This is to ensure that your perm sets in properly. You can wash your hair after three days, but let it be occasionally. Rather than your regular three to four times a week, you should consider toning it down to two times a week.
Only Use Recommended Hair Products
Synonymous with great permed hair are excellent permed hair products. Since perming is a chemical process that leaves your hair fragile, use nourishing products to revitalize your hair. The TRESemmé Repair + Product 7 Shampoo and conditioner is one such product. This product will keep your curls moisturized and healthy.
Stay Cool and Avoid Heat
Too much heat has never been suitable for anyone, and it’s even worse for your permed hair. You should avoid styling your hair with hot tools because it will remove your perm. Air drying is a better method for drying your permed hair. And when you do so, please be sure to use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair.
If you feel brave enough and want to skip the consequences of heat styling, please do the following. Use low heat and a heat diffuser, as these won’t let heat concentrate on only one area of your hair.
Trim Regularly
You might want your permed hair to grow longer, but trimming doesn’t mean you should cut off a considerable length. Regular trims will remove the split and damaged ends of your hair that are likely to cause frizz and damage. However, there’s a recommended routine you can follow to let your hair grow longer.
This depends on how long you want to wear your permed hairdo and how fast your hair grows. If it’s been over six months, visit the salon for a trim every two months. If you want to wear your perm for one month, trimming every two weeks would suffice.
Say No To Hair Dye
Thinking of your next hairdo is something that comes second nature. Of course, planning correctly for hairstyles is as important as wearing them. But in the weeks before you decide to rock permed hair, dying your hair shouldn’t be an option. We understand that you want to look beautiful, but you should consider your hair.
Dyes have similar chemical processes to perms that break down your keratin. And the presence of dye in your hair while perming is a double recipe for disaster. You should also avoid dying your hair after perming it for the same reason.
The Thing With Sleeping
The thing with sleeping is that you sometimes forget you recently got a new hairdo. Except if you have other reasons to be awake, it’s perfectly fine to get a good sleep. If your perm is expertly applied, it will remain permanent for the time you want it to last.
However, it would help if you practiced certain safety precautions before bed. Use silk/satin scarves, scrunchies, and pillowcases because they reduce how friction and frizz affect your hair.
At the beginning of this article, we promised to show you how you can reduce the damage perming does to your hair. And here’s how to achieve that.
- Use recommended products for permed hair to keep your hair nourished and healthy.
- Perm occasionally because regular perming will fast-track the damage these chemicals do to your hair.
- Use dyes frequently because dyes have chemicals that will affect your hair cuticles.
Finally, hair care is an essential aspect of personal care. And the best way to reduce the damage is to follow the instructions given in this article.
The End
Permed hair is very stylish and can be worn with any outfit you have in mind. If you have further recommendations on how to take care of permed hair, let us know in the comment section. You can also leave your questions about permed hair in the comment box, and we’ll be happy to answer them.