Coconut oil before perm?

[Centaurée]

Hi!
Do you guys think a coconut oil soak would help prior to a perm the same way it helps with bleach?

I'm researching the idea, for a friend of mine.
(And maybe for myself in a few years time haha (I don't know what my curl pattern is anymore since bleach straightened my hair from a 2c to a 2a so I'll wait until I can see the virgin hair before considering anything haha))

Thanks for your insight!

[lapushka]

I doubt it will help any. And I'd be careful, because of the particular kind of chemicals having to go on the hair to be able to curl it. I'm not so sure... I wouldn't do it, and didn't when I had my perm.

Perms give a lot of damage. Half my hair was riddled in white dots, quite high up the shaft of the hairs (I had some heat damage too), but most of it was the perm.

[Centaurée]

The girl who wants to do it has short hair though (sides short and top is about jaw length) and plans to keep it short. Do you think it's worth a shot to try or not at all ? Maybe we could try and report the results.

[Anje]

Different chemicals, so I'm not sure it'd help. Ask the stylist if dirty or clean hair is better for perms (I have no idea). If dirty hair is ideal, at least some coconut oil certainly won't hurt.

[Centaurée]

We'll ask and decide accordingly !

[Flipgirl24]

I don't think it matters whether your hair is dirty or not before a perm. Trust me, I'm the perm queen ...or used to be. There is a new kind of perm that is gentler on the hair and doesn't give the 'poodle' effect. I don't think the coconut oil will provide any protection. Maybe your friend can call her hairdresser and ask her.

[missmelaniem]

All its going to do is make the perm not take as well and they will need to leave the solution on to get a proper "S" pattern. If she has short hair anyway and has to perm then just perm and enjoy.

[HairPlease]

Don't put the coconut oil on. A perm is a perm and it's going to damage the hair like nuts no matter what you do before or after it (unless Flipgirl24 knows something I don't know... new kind of perm, eh?). Just perm up and have fun!

[poli]

I saw a few youtube videos where they were using olaplex before perming. Maybe it's a way now?

[EliseMarie]

We always do a clarifying shampoo before perming a client's hair. So, I would not use coconut oil prior to perming.

**and yes, like other's have mentioned, they are damaging :)

[animetor7]

I'll echo what others have said, I don't think coconut oil could do much other than ruin the perm. But if she has no intention of growing long hair, then damage isn't really an issue. My mom has maintained a chin length permed bob for over 20 years with no problems, she just cuts off damage as needed

[Kajzh]

I'm unsure of how relevant this is, but my salon professional would apply relaxer to my hair when it had been heavily oiled and unwashed for five weeks. I know for a fact that my hair grew much longer than most folks with relaxed hair, but I don't know if applying it to hair with buildup had much to do with it.

Either way, I would experiment with wet bunning, flexi-rods, braidouts, and scrunching before resorting to a perm.

[BrightEyes]

We always do a clarifying shampoo before perming a client's hair. So, I would not use coconut oil prior to perming.

**and yes, like other's have mentioned, they are damaging :)

^This. In my salon, before perms we clarify the hair and do not condition before wrapping the perm. Using coconut oil before the perm would cause the perm to not take as well.

[Flipgirl24]

Don't put the coconut oil on. A perm is a perm and it's going to damage the hair like nuts no matter what you do before or after it (unless Flipgirl24 knows something I don't know... new kind of perm, eh?). Just perm up and have fun!

I don't think the newer perms are less damaging per se, but the way the rollers are rolled or maybe the size is different so you don't get the poodle effect.