perms ?

[mommy2one05]

I am thinkin of getting a perm ( it has been years since i last had one)...any recommendations to do before and after to keep damage to a minimum....if i do it will be the full length, not getting any cut....after last baby i am kinda ready for a change

[maskedrose]

Perms are awefully damaging...are you sure you couldn't change something else to satisfy the urge? If you did do it, I guess lots and lots of deep treatments (protein especially, I would think) would hopefully keep it looking healthy.

[Melisande]

I know it sounds rude but DON'T DO IT. Sorry I lower my voice again.

I did it. A number of times.

If you are lucky, it turns out the way you like it. Often it doesn't. Let's say you are happy when you climb out the hairdresser's chair. I can promise you, in three month's time you won't be happy any more.

either the perm has disappeared and left only dry hair behind. Or it's still visible but has lost its shape. It's a mechanical wave, not a natural one, so the growth process destroys the effect. Naturally wavy hair "grows into" the curls. In permed hair, the new growth doesn't "know" the rest was permed so every new millimeter of growth upsets the curl pattern.

No no, if you can satisfy your curl cravings some other way, please try.

When I had my last perm made, the $&^$%#@**$% hairdresser left the solution for too long. It pooled inside the cap next to my neck. It burned a deeeep hole into my neck that turned into a wetting, painful wound that turned into a crappy, ugly scar. That's the reason why it was my last perm. Ever.

I shouldn't have told you that since it's scare tactics and I don't believe in scare tactics. A good professional won't do that to you.

You'll be undamaged and have a nice wave. For, hm, about three months. Then the troubles begin.

But: if you feel you have to, do it. I felt I had to and did it. I'm glad the urge went after two years. Nowadays, I do bun waves if I want to play the seductive curlyhead..................

condition, condition, condition!!! Mist, mist, mist!!! oil, oil, oil.

Beware of the sun, sea water, chlorine, no heat styling, super gentle handling.

And ask for the gentlest perm chemicals you can get. Even if it's less permanent.

Sorry for the rant... (I still think I looked gorgeous shortly after my perm.)

[AquaViolet1973]

A perm is not a terrible thing. It doesn't have to be if you baby your hair otherwise. I've been perming my hair every year or two for over 20 years. I recently got a new perm and I love it! I totally baby my hair. No blowdrying, or heat styling. I don't color or bleach my hair. I use a leave in conditioner. I've been able to grow my hair long while getting perms. It can be done. :)

[Deborah]

...one more quiet vote against perming.

Think of this: three years (and more) down the road, the hair you damage by perming will still be damaged. You can condition it to death, but nothing restores damaged hair to virgin condition. You have to grow new hair to accomplish that.

Just something to consider. :flower:

[BrianaFineHair]

According to your sig picture, your hair looks so thick and beautiful. Why risk the damage? I would vote "no" - not a good idea. However....it's your hair, your choice ~ of course :)

[Nat242]

You have lovely hair! I would of course urge caution, but if you're determined, then there are people, like Aqua Violet, that perm and still have long and lovely hair, though they're probably in the minority.

Why not try braid or bun waves for a while? That's how I satisfy my urge for waves. I mist my hair before bed (unless I've just washed it), and coil it into a high bun or put it in a couple of braids for sleeping. When I wake up, my hair has lovely, bouncy waves, and it's not tangled or damaged in anyway...in fact, wearing hair up for sleeping protects hair, so it's win-win.

-- Natalie

[Nevermore]

You could try rag curls too or perhaps henna to give yourself a change of pace without damage.

[yogachic]

I've been getting perms for the past 16 years. I don't even really know what my natural hair is like. Is it wavy, is it straight, is it curly? I have decided I am never getting a perm again. My hair has been on the dry side, and lots of splits from the last perm I got 2 years ago. My hair is still half perm, half natural. My hair holds a perm and the curl Until the hair is cut off.

If you really want a perm, want a change, its not always a bad thing. Do what makes you happy. :-)

[Sherri]

I just want to put in my two cents and say don't because they are awful expensive if you have someone do them and you are stuck getting one once a year for long haired people and that is a long time to live with roots being straight and curly ends, but it is completely up to you.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I'll just give my personal experience with perming. I used to get my curls relaxed, every three months like clockwork. My hair was straight and seemed healthy enough. It did look dry and in only seemed to reach a little below my shoulders. I always assumed I just had slow growing hair. Once I went natural and let my curls do there thing, it grows so much faster! I don't need trims as much and it has a shine that it never used to. The thing with perms is they are permanent so it's not a once and done thing, you have to keep getting your new growth done or if you decide to be natural again you have to go through transitioning. You couldn't pay me to put another relaxer in my hair.

[mommy2one05]

thanks for everybody's input! I have decided against the perm. My hair is damaged enough from all the year I did stuff to it so I dont want to add to it. I have been braiding my hair more and seeing what I can do to improve those results. I also have a couple of packs of those older hot sticks I am gonna try them not hot maybe at night when I go to bed . I thought about making some type of rag rollers if I can figure out how to cause my husband always has pants that are ripped so I could cut those up maybe...any ideas?

[wintersun99]

..........

[Euphony]

<whew> I'm so happy you decided against it! Have you thought about using something like a Caruso (http://www.amazon.com/Caruso-C97953-SalonPro-Molecular-Hairsetter/dp/B0002JKPB8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1209061963&sr=8-3)?

[mommy2one05]

somebody on here (I don't remember the album name) has a series of photos showing different waves made from different techniques (i.e. plopping, bun waves, braid waves, etc) if you can find that link it could give you some great ideas that may impersonate a perm wave...

oh wow that would be neat! thanks! do you have any idea who has that or how I could maybe search for it?

[birdiefu]

I did rag curls using an old bedsheet that I ripped up. Just be careful, since I didn't seam it or anything, the little bitty threads hanging off from the side would sometimes tangle a bit with my hair if I wasn't careful putting it in or taking it out. But I got some awesome boingy curls (need to find the pic) from rag curls. I just got a Caruso and gave it a test with one Jumbo and one Large curler, I ended up with about the same wave in my hair with both. Probably need to use the smaller ones for more distinct curls/waves.

[Alaskanheart]

Please no dont do it!

I know alot of people get them and their hair is"fine" after, you might really hate it, or the person who does it might really screw up, and it takes forever to get your hair back into shape.

I went in about 4 years ago for a body perm key word is BODY, what I got wasnt body it was POODLE! As if that wasnt enough , even after the perm grew out my hair still was much porus than it has ever been. Yikes!

If you must do it, Dont color and especially dont bleach while the perm is in your hair, that is a double FU to your hair.

I guess deep conditioning can help, but really the damage is done the moment the solution goes into your hair.

Your hairs so pretty , Id hate to see you ruin it.

[Alaskanheart]

Okay I should have read all the way through. Glad you decided against it. Its such a huge gamble for most of us who are trying for healthy long hair on LHC.

On thing I did to get curls when I was younger was I would damp braid, 4-6 braids in my hair (your hairs thicker so maybe much more for you) then I would take a sponge roller on the ends of each braid, and left it on overnight. I always liked the way it looked. It looked more natural than a curl iron to me.

[birdiefu]

Okay, here are the rag curls I did- it was my first time so a bit rough. All I did was put in the rags (place about halfway on length, wrap ends around, then roll up to roots and tie), mist my hair with water, then go to sleep with it. My hair then was I think a tad above waist, so some shrinkage. This is also a lesson on why you don't comb/brush curls (check out the poof on the right!) unless you are trying to get 80's hair:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/birdiefu/hair/curls1.jpg

After using my fingers to place the curls nicely and putting it back in a half-up:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/birdiefu/hair/curly1.jpg

And I still had some curlage the 2nd day, even after fiddling, combing, and sleeping with it. Though I do have natural wave, this is way more than I usually have:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/birdiefu/hair/2ndDayCurl1.jpg

[mommy2one05]

birdiefu - thanks for the pics...I think my project today will be working on some old fabric so I can try the rag rollers thing...thanks again

[LaurelSpring]

It took me over 2 years to gradually cut/trim out the damage of a bad perm. I wouldnt do it again. There have been times when my hair was shorter that I loved having a perm but no more. Try setting your hair on some of those spiral wraps and do a henna or get a few layers or something if you feel restless. The urge will pass. Go sit in a mall and look at people with frizzy perms. That helps. Every person with beautiful curls that I asked...is that a perm? said no its natural. It might be nice for awhile but in the long run it is frustrating.

[LaurelSpring]

It took me over 2 years to gradually cut/trim out the damage of a bad perm. I wouldnt do it again. There have been times when my hair was shorter that I loved having a perm but no more. Try setting your hair on some of those spiral wraps and do a henna or get a few layers or something if you feel restless. The urge will pass. Go sit in a mall and look at people with frizzy perms. That helps. Every person with beautiful curls that I asked...is that a perm? said no its natural. It might be nice for awhile but in the long run it is frustrating.

[mommy2one05]

It took me over 2 years to gradually cut/trim out the damage of a bad perm. I wouldnt do it again. There have been times when my hair was shorter that I loved having a perm but no more. Try setting your hair on some of those spiral wraps and do a henna or get a few layers or something if you feel restless. The urge will pass. Go sit in a mall and look at people with frizzy perms. That helps. Every person with beautiful curls that I asked...is that a perm? said no its natural. It might be nice for awhile but in the long run it is frustrating.


what are spiral wraps?
my younger sis is one of the lucky ones with the naturally curly that looks like a perm....I got the plain sometimes straight sometimes a bit of wave that cause alot of frizz hair....how lucky...lol

[psvzum]

Oh, what I'd do to have hair like yours! I wouldn't do a darn thing to it-very pretty.

[mommy2one05]

Oh, what I'd do to have hair like yours! I wouldn't do a darn thing to it-very pretty.

thank you so much for the compliment

[Ella]

Pincurls work well for me. They last all day with enough spray and give a beautiful curl. I can sleep in them too unlike rollers :-(