Straight Perm

Some Interesting Facts about Getting a Straight Perm

The purpose of a straight perm is to create hair that is sleek, smooth, and curl free. For most, when hearing the word "perm" they think of the traditional perm that takes poker straight hair and gives it some curl. One fad that has become increasingly popular is hair straightening. This is a procedure that is a lot like curling your hair with a curling iron but offering the opposite effect. For those who do not want to curl their hair daily, they resort to getting a perm and the same is true for a straight perm, which is for those who do not want to or do not have the time to straighten their hair daily.

Chemical Damage

The straight perm originated in Japan and does use a chemical process to straighten the hair. Of course, this process is not exactly healthy for the hair because the chemicals do break the hair bonds since the chemicals are very harsh. Initially, when the perm is finished it will look nice and the hair will not appear to have extreme damage and the shine will make it difficult for you to believe there is. The truth is that the cuticle of the hair is smoothed out which gives the initial look that your hair will look healthier than it did before you began the process. The other two issues that are possible or even likely with a straight perm are when your hair grows back and the fact that your hair will become thinner due to the fact that not as much hair grows back plus the texture of your hair is different so it may feel especially thin. The grow back process can be very interesting, especially if you have curly hair and straightened your hair.

Straight Hair without the Fuss

The process of straightening your hair can be very mundane, so certainly the thought of having the straightened look without the daily hassle can be very welcoming but it is essential that you understand all of the pros and cons before making a final decision. Understand that there are a variety of these perms available so spend some time finding out which one is best for you. Around the very late 1990's is when straight perms started to become quite popular, which was also when straight hair started to make a quick comeback. Curly hair follicles do not lie flat and that is what the chemicals do in a straight perm.

The Japanese Role

Straight perms are also often called the Japanese perm because it was the Japanese that first perfected this hair process. You will likely even find that many salons have Japanese hairstylists that do their straight perms. This is because they have likely been trained in the best techniques. It is strongly suggested, by the way, that if you do decide to get a straight perm you go to a salon and allow them to do it. They know what to use and how long to keep it in your hair. Ultimately, the levels of damage will still be the same but it is still better if the professionals do your perm.

Who Should not get a Straight Perm

People that have certain types of hair should not get a straight perm, this includes those with thin, colored, damaged, or brittle hair. This is something that you can discuss with your hair stylist before deciding. They will likely explain to you that the coloring process itself can make hair brittle but when you add the perm solution to that there is a real chance that your hair could break or even fall out. If you educate yourself in advance about straight perms and speak with the pros you will lessen the chances that the process will turn into a hairstyle disaster and instead you will have the hair that you have been dreaming about.