Hair perms are one of those long standing hair procedures that have stood the test of time, beginning in the 1870’s as a primitive way of manipulating one’s hair with heated tongs to today’s more technically advanced methods.
While the process of perming one’s hair has undergone many changes over the past century or so, the main reason for getting a perm is the same: to provide long-lasting, well-defined curls and waves to hair that is naturally straight and untextured, providing a more permanent solution to these hair types that doesn’t require constant styling and manipulation.
Perms are an incredibly popular hair care procedure, and if you have straight or relaxed hair, you’ve probably considered a perm at least once or twice in your life. But before you go and get that new perm, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of this popular procedure.
What is a Hair Perm?
A hair perm is any procedure that involves manipulating the hair's natural texture. Initially, this was done with heated tongs or crimps, but today’s procedures involve incredibly powerful chemicals that first open up the permanent disulfide bonds of the hair, then allow for manipulation into a new, more textured style, followed by an application of more chemicals that then seal the disulfide bonds. The result? Hair that has a completely new, more shapely texture than its natural state. These curls or waves can last for several months and can be reapplied for long-term results.
The Positives of a Hair Perm
A perm is incredibly effective at doing what it’s supposed to do, which is manipulate the hair’s natural structure into a long-lasting textured state. Rather than constantly curling and styling your hair every time after washing your hair, a perm lasts several months, regardless of how many hair washings occur.
Additionally, a hair perm gives your hair more volume and fullness, creating that added look of density that so many of us crave. With this added volume, you’ll find that your hair is far easier to style and set, opening the stage for so many different styles to wear on a daily basis!
Lastly, without having to constantly style your hair each day, you save yourself a tremendous amount of time in front of the mirror, freeing you up to enjoy your life and saving you the extra hassle!
The Negatives of a Hair Perm
As amazing as a hair perm sounds, there are some important negatives to keep in mind. For one, hair perms require incredibly strong chemicals to alter the hair’s natural shape and texture, and these chemicals can cause long-lasting damage to the hair strand that can progressively weaken and degrade the hair strand with frequent treatments. This can unfortunately lead to a frustrating amount of breakage and split ends.
Secondly, hair perms are extremely good at setting your hair in a semi-permanent shape, which is great if you always want your hair looking one way. However, if you ever feel like changing the style of your hair, you’ll face a great degree of difficulty in restyling hair that has undergone a perm.
Lastly, perms can be extremely expensive to apply, which can lead to a massive drain on your wallet over the long term. You definitely don’t want to go cheap on a perm, so this is a key to keep in mind!