Perm for long hair

[*Elvina*]

Hey, I wanted to know if anyone has experience with this. My hair is bsl, which I don't consider as very long but I know hairdressers do. And yes, I know it's bad for your hair but i've been thinking about it for a long time now. I have 1c/2a hair and I'd like to be 2c. They always say a perm doesn't last in long hair but what if you only do the ends orso? or leave out the crown? Could anyone give me some information on this?

[eadwine]

Have you tried other methods yet, like plunking/plopping or rag curling? Just wondering since those are hair friendly methods, and if it is only the ends it should work.

[FrannyG]

My knee-jerk response is to say don't perm your hair. While the curls will fall away in time, your hair is permanently altered. If you colour your hair at all, you're in for double damage.

Having said that, I have had perms with fairly long hair in the past, and I quite enjoyed them. However, that was before I was committed to long hair, so it didn't bother me that I needed to cut my hair quite a bit as the perm faded

If you really feel you must get a perm, just for the experience of it, please bear in mind that ultimately you will need to cut off that previously permed hair. There really is no way of keeping post-permed hair damage-free. Eventually there will be breakage, fuzzy ends, and lots of splits.

The bottom line is, it's your hair and you need to be happy with it, but I'd think long and hard before getting a perm. Please give it at least two weeks of thought.

In the meantime, perhaps you could try some other methods of getting curls. Pin curls, rag curls, bun waves and plopping are just some of the things you could try.

The most important thing I've learned here at LHC is to embrace my hair type. I fought against it for years, but now I'm in a place where I appreciate my fine, straight hair, and I see its beauty.

I wish you the best whatever you decide.

[WavyGal]

My knee-jerk response is to say don't perm your hair. While the curls will fall away in time, your hair is permanently altered. If you colour your hair at all, you're in for double damage.

Having said that, I have had perms with fairly long hair in the past, and I quite enjoyed them. However, that was before I was committed to long hair, so it didn't bother me that I needed to cut my hair quite a bit as the perm faded

If you really feel you must get a perm, just for the experience of it, please bear in mind that ultimately you will need to cut off that previously permed hair. There really is no way of keeping post-permed hair damage-free. Eventually there will be breakage, fuzzy ends, and lots of splits.

The bottom line is, it's your hair and you need to be happy with it, but I'd think long and hard before getting a perm. Please give it at least two weeks of thought.

In the meantime, perhaps you could try some other methods of getting curls. Pin curls, rag curls, bun waves and plopping are just some of the things you could try.

The most important thing I've learned here at LHC is to embrace my hair type. I fought against it for years, but now I'm in a place where I appreciate my fine, straight hair, and I see its beauty.

I wish you the best whatever you decide.

Frannyg is right. Ultimately it is up to you with what you want to do, but I agree with her on not perming. Get a perm not only damages your hair, but if you have fairly straight hair with a slight wave or to, a perm will take more work than expected. I can't tell you how many times I have seen straight or even wavy haired people get perms and still think they can treat them like their own natural hair. Then they get frustrated because they weren't expecting to do so much work. A perm has to be treated like naturally curly hair. Plus perms can, even today, go wrong. Lots of times they will either come out too tight or the curls won't hold. I would also agree that you should learn to work it with your own hairtype. Why? Because it's beautiful. You will never be happy if you try to get everything you don't have. Once you buy into that method, you will put yourself in a spot where you will have to buy every "miracle" product on the market. Not only is that expensive, that won't make you feel better.

What I suggest is to wait two weeks before doing anything. Often when we are in a bad mood/having a bad hair day, we want to do something drastic with our hair. On my bad hair days it's tempting for me to straighten it. But then I quickly remember how much of a pin it is for me to straighten my hair. Often you'll find that when you are in a better mood, you will be glad that you didn't do anything drastic. If you still want a perm, DO your research and GET a test strand done to make sure if you hair can handle the chemicals. Only go to a hairstylist with experience, otherwise you are just guaranteeing yourself disastrous results.

Good luck in doing whatever you decide to do.

[Carolyn]

I have your same hair type. I haven't had a perm in years but I've had them at various times in my life. A perm is a chemical change to the hair. I never once had a perm completely fall out or go away. The permed hair was always wavier and a different texture than my newer unpermed hair. Do you think you could trust a stylist to just make your ends slightly wavier? I think that's what you are saying you want. I'd be very afraid of my hair coming out too curly and damaged. Consider it very carefully before you do it. If the perm is a disaster are you willing to sacrifice your length?

[blondecat]

I've had 2 wash and wear perms over a long period. [long time ago]
They both took well to the hair and grew themselves out over a couple of years.

I had problem with them knotting constantly and trying to corksrew back onto themselves [like dredlocks] And had to keep the hair plaited for a time.

My hair is a very fine and thin type 1b/ 2a

Perming did cause a lot of dammage.

[yogachic]

Hey, I wanted to know if anyone has experience with this. My hair is bsl, which I don't consider as very long but I know hairdressers do. And yes, I know it's bad for your hair but i've been thinking about it for a long time now. I have 1c/2a hair and I'd like to be 2c. They always say a perm doesn't last in long hair but what if you only do the ends orso? or leave out the crown? Could anyone give me some information on this?

I have had bsl length hair since I was in 8th grade, and I have also had spiral perms in my bsl hair since high school. I never really noticed how much they made my hair so dry, but this last one I got over a year and half ago, I really noticed it. Probably because I joined LHC! I will not get another perm...ever, and the Frizz omg! Its horrible. My hair holds a perm until my hair is cut off! So its not true that long hair doesnt hold a perm very long, it does. Way to long in fact. If you decide to perm, you will be stuck with that permed hair for a Long Time.

[justgreen]

I had spiral perms for 15 years. I haven't let those chemicals touch my hair in almost 4 years and I'll never do it again. I've learned to embrace my semi straight hair and love it. It has blessed me with alot of pleasure and more time to spend doing what I like to do, instead of coifing my hair all the time, spending money on hair products and then living with all that damage.

Once again, it's your hair, but I'd wait the 2 weeks out and then decide, especially after looking at all the unpermed hair here.

[blue_nant]

I permed when my hair was hip-length and I was 25 and bored.

I got permed once, which "didn't take" and a few weeks later, was permed by a more experienced person which did take. Problem is that I effectively had a perm on top of a perm = DAMAGE!

I liked my permed hair, except that bugs seemed to like me more (??).

BUT after the honeymoon was over (a year or so?) it took forEVER to grow out, like several years. I'm not even sure that the problems with my ends splitting are not from that hair having been previoiusly permed. I don't know how to tell, really.

Please think about it, try some other methods of wave-ifying your hair.

BTW, it's 20 years later right now. If those ends are still with me, they are at my thighs.

It's one heckuva commitment! Think it over. Good success!

[Blueneko]

Oh, I am anti-perm. It is instant fry damage and so bad for your hair.

I would try the curling suggestions from the other posters first. It should be a last resort, an even then, it is so drying and causes tons of breakage.