Tired with dull and limp hair? Bring it back to life by volumizing your tresses and enhancing its shine quotient with a perm. Gone are the days when you had to spend hours every morning blow-drying your hair. Under the perming process, the natural bonds in your hair strands are altered for permanently curling your locks. Chemicals used in perming can make straight hair curly by breaking the disulfide bonds. The hair is wrapped around rods once the chemicals are applied so that you can attain your desired perm style. Today we are going to discuss different perm styles so that you can select the one which suits you best.
Different Types of Perms:
- Body Wave
- Spiral Perm
- Spot Perm
- Pin Curl Perm
- Root Perm
- Multi-Textured Perm
- Stack Perm
- Volumizing Perm
- Straight Perm
1. Body Wave
The romantic body wave style looks natural and neat while adding to your hair volume. This style works best on longer hair as it infuses back life into limp hair to create some natural movement and bounce. This style uses larger rods compared to the ones used for spiral perm although it has fewer maintenance requirements. Ladies with naturally straight hair who have difficulty in holding curls can opt for body wave perms.
- Ideal For: Adding volume to straight hair or compelling flyaway curls to cling together.
- USP: Doesn’t produce tight curls while offering individuals with wavy and volumized hair.
- Technique: Digital or hot method of perming is used in this style by placing long rollers to form natural loose tousled waves.
- Caring: It has minimal maintenance requirements. However, you need to stay away from both straighteners and curling irons.
- Longevity: Can last between three to five months. However, it is advised to use cream and serums before styling hair to enhance its longevity.
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2. Spiral Perm
Get bouncy and springy curls that bop back on being pulled and released with spiral perms. Uniformity in curls can be noticed up to the scalp although the final result varies according to the size of the rods used. This style is best suited for ladies having very healthy hair as it uses a strong chemical solution for creating curls. Usually, the curls extend to the tip of each hair follicle from the root. You can also jazz up your look by using perm rods of various sizes while styling your hair.
- Ideal For: Ladies with very curly hair and the ones trying to rock a retro look. You need to have at least eight-inch-long hair for making the most out of spiral perm.
- USP: Can achieve everything ranging from loose sausage curls to tightest corkscrew curls.
- Technique: Cold technique is utilized to form curls via spiral perms. The Coil of the curl is determined by the size of the curling rod. In the case of corkscrew curls, hair is rolled and secured vertically around the rod which is next placed uniformly on the head for attaining proper curl definition.
- Caring: Has medium to high maintenance requirements. Curls tend to relax over months and you need the backing of some styling products to keep your curls uniform, shiny and frizz-free.
- Longevity: Six months with proper maintenance such as regular use of neutralizers.
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3. Spot Perm
Partial perm or spot perm involves perming just a particular section of the hair. It is mostly performed by skilled experts and can render wonderful results. If you have uneven curls, then a skilled stylist can spot perm the straighter regions for a more streamlined look. One of the most popular types of partial perm is where the ends of the hair are permed for creating curves and rendering some movement to your hair about your shoulders.
- Ideal For: People having uneven curls which change direction randomly.
- USP: It can cleverly cover a spot of thinning hair.
- Technique: Usually larger rods are used by hairstylists to ensure that the perm looks natural. Harsh chemicals are used prior to curling your hair around the rod which helps it to last for months. However, you might require frequent touch-ups as compared to the body wave perm.
- Caring: Though it is low maintenance, you are advised to pre-condition your hair and apply a leave-in spray subsequently.
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4. Pin Curl Perm
Add some structure to your hair with the pin curl perm which can change your appearance in the form of tight curls. You can select curlers of different sizes to match your style vibe. While the larger curlers can render beach perfect results, smaller ones can offer a spiral perm-like look. The biggest advantage of this procedure lies in the fact that it doesn’t use any harsh chemical which can otherwise damage your hair.
- Ideal For: Women with short to medium hair.
- USP: Easiest perm style which can be attained with just pins and curlers.
- Technique: The hair is rolled against curlers of different sizes which are next secured using pins. You need to provide a resting time of approximately two and half hours to set the curls in place and finish it up by applying some gel.
- Caring: Very easy to maintain as it doesn’t use any harsh chemicals during the process. You can however use a hair gel to set the curls in place.
- Longevity: A hair gel is used for setting these perms and so they vanish once you take a shower.
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5. Root Perm
Just as the name indicates, a root perm involves perming the hair roots or the first 2-4 inches from the scalp. It is done following the ceramic or cold method since it takes place very close to the scalp. Repeatedly perming the already permed parts can enhance chances of further damage which is why this technique targets fresh hair growth. Root perm is a rage amongst ladies with straight and shiny hair as it makes your hair more free-moving rather than being glued down. This type of perming can be done on wavy, curly, and straight hair.
- Ideal For: People with thin and fine hair or the ones who have previously permed their hair which has grown out.
- USP: Lifts up the roots and adds volume whether or not you have natural curls.
- Technique: Cold technique is followed in root perming where the rod is placed a few inches near the scalp. It can be done by adding a lift at specific areas of the head. Often previous curls are joined with newly-created ones by a skilled professional.
- Caring: The already permed parts of hair have to be protected using special products to keep it buffered from perming chemicals penetrating into the ends.
- Longevity: Few weeks to a month.
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6. Multi-Textured Perm
You can now enjoy a multi-textured look in the form of both tight and loose curls with the multi-textured perm. If you have naturally curly hair with curls in varying levels of tightness, then you can expect an effortlessly beautiful look out of this perming technique. A variety of perm rod sizes are used for creating realistic and tight curls which are highly textured. This type of hair perm is not suited for women with medium or short hair as it uses two differently sized rods for delivering results.
- Ideal For: Ladies with long hair as it adds more texture and bounce to your limp locks.
- USP: Creates an effortlessly organic look that looks like body wave perm but has more variety in the shape of each curl.
- Technique: Differently sized rolls are used by the stylist to create a combination of loose and tight curls. This hot perming technique makes use of multiple-sized roller rods for attaining your desired hairstyle.
- Caring: Haircare products like sprays and leave-in conditioners can keep your curls looking bouncy.
- Longevity: Multiple months coupled with proper styling and haircare products.
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7. Stack Perm
People with curly hair often complain that their curls do not extend till the roots and start halfway down the hair strands. But you can ensure smoothness at the top of your hair with stack perm which primarily re-bonds hair and then perms the middle and bottom sections for an au naturel look. Curling rods of different sizes are used in this technique to create an illusion of layers while adding softness and fullness to your look. This technique is best suited for people whose hair is not already cut in layers. It uses harsh chemicals and is thus ideal for people with healthy hair.
- Ideal For: Ladies with naturally curly hair.
- USP: Keeps the hair roots straighter and the ends more curled as it renders a layered hair-like look.
- Technique: Digital technique is used to form layers. Often stylists use rods of two different sizes for a fuller look. The lower layers are permed while the top is left natural for a voluminous look.
- Caring: Just a deep conditioning treatment occasionally to keep your curls bouncy.
- Longevity: Up to five months provided you take adequate care of your hair.
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8. Volumizing Perm
Under the traditional perm technique, a neutralizer is applied when the hair is curled around the rods. Herein lies its difference with volumizing perm where the rods are removed prior to application of neutralizer for more relaxed waves. The curls slightly relax before being set. It is best if you are looking for a lift in your hair texture. It suits ladies with both short and long hair but doesn’t last very long. You need to book regular appointments with your stylist for retaining this look over the long term.
- Ideal For: All hair lengths especially if you have thin hair or if you have become bored of the regular blow-drying routine.
- USP: Creates more volume than tight curls.
- Technique: Neutralizer is applied once the rods are removed for adding to the volume of your curls.
- Caring: The quality of perms can be maintained by using prescribed hair care products.
- Longevity: Maximum six weeks.
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9. Straight Perm
Last but not least comes straight perm which has also gained popularity as thermal reconditioning or Japanese hair straightening. The resultant hair looks incredibly glossy and is very low-maintenance. This style originated in Japan and differs from the others mentioned in our list in terms of the chemicals used.
- Ideal For: Curly and wavy hair of any length.
- USP: Permanently straightens curly hair by weakening the cysteine bonds and disturbing the natural protein structure of the hair.
- Technique: Curly hair is coated with ammonium thioglycolate which weakens keratin bonds in the hair. Next, your locks will be neutralized using a hydrogen peroxide solution and wrapped around a hot iron for permanently straightening wavy or curly hair. A neutralizer is applied for restoring the pH balance of your hair at the end of the procedure.
- Caring: You might require spot treatments if the hair grows out.
- Longevity: At least four to six months provided you refrain from heat styling.
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Typically, a perm session can cost you between 80 to 300 dollars although the price might vary between salons depending upon the perm style and technique used. While a perm session lasts around 3 hours, the results can be sustained for 3 to 6 months depending upon the caring techniques you follow such as regular conditioning and staying out of the sun. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you can color permed hair but you need to guarantee at least two weeks gaps between the two procedures. Harsh chemicals are used in both processes and following a quick succession can damage your hair. Often people complain of hair damage after a perming session. But you can circumvent the same by following a proper maintenance routine.
Jennifer Taylor
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