Types of Perms

If you have straight hair, at one time you probably wished it were curly and if you have curly hair, at one time you probably wished it were straight.  The common solution to this problem has always been solved with a chemical known as the "permanent wave."  Commonly called a perm, it is the chemical or thermal treatment of hair that produces waves, curls and straight hair. 

Different types of perms have evolved over the years to give women the tresses they have always dreamed of.  Even in ancient times, there has always been a desire to curl the tresses.  Egyptians were known to perm their hair.  They would wrap their hair with wooden sticks and then coat it with a layer of mud so it would bake in the sun.  The end result produced bouncy, curly hair. 

The process today is a little different.  It also depends on your hair type and race.  Perms are known to make African-American hair straight and Caucasian hair curly. 

How to Perm African-American Hair

• Divide the hair into four sections
• Put on gloves and lightly layer scalp and hairline with petroleum jelly to protect the hair from the relaxer cream
• Make sure to avoid the scalp and begin applying the relaxer cream to one section of hair from the root to the end
• Continue following the same method with each section of hair until all strands are coated with relaxer cream
  
• Keep track of time (follow the recommended time on the relaxer kit) and take a comb to evenly distribute the relaxer cream if necessary
• After your hair has processed based on the recommended time on the relaxer kit, rinse out the relaxer cream with warm water that is comfortable to touch.
• Once you have rinsed all traces of relaxer out of your hair, use a neutralizing shampoo, which will neutralize the chemical process and prevent it from doing anything other than straightening the hair
• Repeat shampooing up to three times, rinse thoroughly.  After conditioning the hair with your favorite conditioner one the neutralizing shampoo has been washed out, towel dry and style as desired.

Perming Caucasian or straight hair is a little different.  It involves the process of using hair benders or rods to roll each section of hair, which causes straight hair to convert to curly hair.  Even though the perming styles differ in terms of ethnicity, there is one thing all women seem to have in common--wanting their hair to look good.  

Different Types of Perms:

If you are looking for the perfect way to add luster, body, bounce and curl to your hair, perming it may be the answer.  For centuries, it's been one of the most convenient wash and wear styles among women.  When it comes to perming the hair, deciding which chemical is best suited for your hair type is the real challenge.

Salon experts help to assist women with the best type of perm to put on their hair. 

Best Relaxers for African-American Hair

The misconception has been that no-lye relaxers were the best solution to prevent the burning many people complained about while getting their hair relaxed.  According to recent studies, no-lye relaxers are not the best chemical to relax hair.

No-Lye Relaxers

• The chemical is made with a calcium compound (calcium hydroxide) that causes a build-up on the hair and prevents moisture.
• Causes extreme dryness of scalp and seals off the cuticle to block out moisture

Conditioning Lye Relaxers

• No chemical build-up
• Enables hair to lock in moisture, making it softer, silkier and bouncier
• The cuticle stays open to receive moisture while remaining conditioned

Other Types of Perms for Straight Hair

Perms that are not available for home use but recommend by salon experts:

• Acid perms: Ideally suited for fine, thin, damaged and dyed hair.  Produces high volume, flexible curls with little risk of damaging the hair.
• Alkaline perms: Provides a strong, firmer curl that produces gentle heat knowns as exothermic.  Exothermic is created when the lotion is mixed and enables the heat to go through the hair cuticle, strengthening and conditioning the hair as it takes on a new form.  Alkaline enhances volume, movement and flexibility. 
• Spiral perms: Produces luminous spiral curls that hold in luster and shine.  The spiral perm is created by winding strands of hair around long curlers.  The spiral curls make long hair appear thicker and more stacked.
• Stack perms: Provides curl and volume.  If your hair it cut, it lengthens hair with use of different sized curlers.  Stack perm causes the hair on top of the head to be left unpermed, while the middle and ends are left as bouncy curls.
• Weave perms: Involves perming certain sections of the hair while the rest remains straight.  This gives hair a combination of body, bounce and natural flair that compliments the face.

Deciding to Perm

When making the decision to perm your hair, remember to consider the different types of perms and how your hair reacts to certain chemicals.  It's important to do hair strand tests when giving yourself a perm at home.  When going to a salon, make sure your stylist is well-versed in the long-term effects of applying a chemical to your hair as a wash and wear style.  Finally, decide which style you want the perm to capture.  If you're going for a curly look, decide on the level of thickness of the curl, how it would add or enhance your face and reflect your personality.  If you already have curly hair and are looking to convert it to straight, make sure you choose a relaxer that is gentle enough for your hair texture. 

If your hair type is coarse, you may want to use an extra-strength perm kit as oppose to a mild or regular strength kit.  It is recommended to consult a hair-stylist before trying to perm your own hair in order to prevent burning, dryness and hair loss.  If you don't have a hair-stylist, then be sure to follow the directions on all home perm kits.