Perms??

[Primrose]

I'm 25 and kinda new to this forum .....writing in for Opinions,Advices,Experiences(Good N Bad ) and more Information on getting perms .I have shoulder length fine thin straight hair and would love to add more body to it so it's not just straight and flat ..would perming be the way to go for this or are ther better methods ? Are ther certain perms that would not be so harsh as others? This would be my 1st perm ever .Thanks to all who reply nicely

[kdaniels8811]

Well, I don't know what kind of reponse you will get to perming, the focus here is to shy away from anything that could damage your hair and to let it grow. I permed and dyed my hair for years and wondered why I could never get it to grow longer than shoulder length. The focus here is long, healthy hair, and perming damages hair beyond belief - mine broke off at the roots! This is probably not the answer you are looking for. Just my two cents!

I get volume in my fine/thin hair by wearing it in a bun, when it comes down I have nice bun waves. There are other methods, one is called "plopping" and there is information in the articles section. This you do at night and sleep on it, giving fullness and volume when you take it down in the morning. Braids add fullness and waves, also. Good luck with what ever you choose to do.

[Sherri]

I recently got a perm and let me tell you a few things before you deceide this is for you. It is a chemical process which breaks down the hair to form new curl pattern to the hair. You can ask for an acid perm which is not as strong as the other alkaline perms. Still with either it is very drying to the hair in which you will have to take extra special care of your hair. This may mean buying things for it you never did before. ie protein treatments, special shampoos, deep conditioners. Also remember this is somehting you will have to maintain on a regular bases with re-perms every so often and make sure you go to someone you trust. Go informed on what type and size rollers you will be using so you don't end up with tight kinky curls unless that is what you are after. Think long and hard about it before you do it but if it is really something you want to do get all the information you can. Good luck.

[MemSahib]

I, too, have straight babyfine hair and in the past have had many perms, the last one in the early '80s. That time I had a reaction to the perming solution and we had to abort the perm because my scalp turned bright red and burned like mad. I jumped into the shower and rinsed for a long time to try to get it out. It was with this perm that I finally came to grips with my straight hair and vowed I would NEVER perm again, and I haven't. My hair is straight, fine and as such it has its very own beauty, unlike the curlies to be sure, but its very own.

We do have at least one member who perms her babyfine hair sucessfully, if I can remember her name... well, I can see her pictures in my mind but I'm not bringing up her name at all at the moment. She is a babyboomer, has greying hair and I believe her husband is a minister. Can anybody help me with this?

I would strongly suggest that you learn to like your hair. Our hair is sleek, shiny and silky to touch. Many curlies try to straighten to look like us! A few years back when watching that first Lord of the Rings movie I was entranced by the straight, fine hair of the elves. It was beautiful. Perhaps you and I have elven tresses?

[MsBubbles]

Thanks to being on LHC for the past year, I have learned to love and accept my fine, straight hair. It sticks to my scalp like glue but I have finally given up the dream of trying to get my strands to stand away from my scalp, even just a little bit.

As a teen I killed my hair through perms designed to make my hair not be what it was born to be, and as an adult I killed my hair with daily velcro-rollers and blow-frying in an attempt to get Jennifer Aniston hair or some other helmet head anchorwoman style (which all fell flat again immediately after going outside in the humid air).

I usually am not so bold as to tell someone 'don't do it!', but in this case, I'd like to throw the suggestion out there for you to come to love your fine hair.

Oh and by the way...bun waves or even french-twist waves give my hair some body for about an hour without the damage of perms/rollers/blow-drying.

[templeofvenus]

POersonally I have only ever had 2 perms in my life back in the early nineties say 1992 and no way would I get anymore, I think the process is too harsh to be honest! unless they have changed the solutions etc now I can't speak for the perms of today. Have you tried volumising mousse on your roots to add some lift? Label M sold in salons do a good root lift mousse and I found it worked well for my fine straight hair. Otherwise blow dry gently with your head upside down to give root lift, or trybig rollers in the root area to give lift. I hope this helps and if you do decide to perm I hope its lovely.

[melrose1985]

I got a perm at the send of last summer. 4 days later I HATED IT. I chemically straighten it which ended with me cutting my hair into a bob to get rid of the damage. At that time I think was almost APL. I had to cut a lot off, and even not the ends are still not great. Once I make it my year with not cutting my hair at all I know I’m going to still have more to cut to get rid of the damage I still have.

Basically, I’m not saying no you shouldn’t get one but if you are as flippy floppy as I was where one minute you wants something and the next you don’t then you might be better off maybe setting your hair a couple of times a week to get some bounce. Also with everything around here people recommend the 2 week rule. Give yourself time to think it over for 2 weeks or so.

Either way best of luck!

[Tap Dancer]

We do have at least one member who perms her babyfine hair sucessfully, if I can remember her name... well, I can see her pictures in my mind but I'm not bringing up her name at all at the moment. She is a babyboomer, has greying hair and I believe her husband is a minister. Can anybody help me with this?

No, sorry. The only person here I know who has permed hair is AquaViolet1973. She was getting yearly perms, but she recently made a decision to stop because it was causing her hair to break off.

[Kunoichi]

I have fine hair also, and have had perms. The first perm I got literally 'fell out' within 2 weeks. I like the way they make my hair look; the straight hairs want curly, and curly want straight; but I have decided to keep it straight, uncolored, and healthy. Good Luck on whatever you choose.

[spidermom]

It depends on your hair length goal. The longer you want, the less damage you should risk. If curl and volume are more important to you than hair length, a perm will give you both. However, the new hair growing in is going to be as straight as before, and perms look pretty weird after awhile with straight roots.

If you were to wash your hair in the evening and then do a top-of-head scrunchie bun, it would give you body and waves, possibly even curls. Give it a try.