Floppy or Loose Perm Rods

Q: When we roll my hair on perm rods, some of them are "floppy" no matter where we place the elastic tether. What am I doing wrong? How can I get the rods to be even and uniform? Thank you.

A: Floppy or loose perm rods are generally a sign of improperly taut wrapping. This may be because the slice being wrapped is of uneven lengths and in order to compensate, the person wrapping the hair tries to adapt the rod position during the wrap.

It may also come as a result of too much or too little hair in the slice being wrapped. When wrapping a perm, the slices should be a little narrower than the rods being used, and approximately as thick as the ends of the rod (without the tethering plug).

If there's too little hair, the tendency is to not wind the hair with as much tension, resulting in loose rods. If there's too much hair, the rod becomes overburdened and doesn't lie flat and neatly against the scalp.

Another very common cause of loose rods is uneven slice bases. The base refers to the shape of the slice being wound around a rod. A perfect perm rod base is a long thin rectangle (mimicking the general shape of the rod). If your base is uneven, not-uniform or not made with right angles, the wrapped hair will tend to build up unevenly and cause the rods to be loose and lie awkwardly.

As any cosmetology student will tell you, mastering the art of perm wrapping is a matter of practice. In school we find ourselves tasked with wrapping and unwrapping perms repeatedly. Regardless of how many years a woman has been perming her hair at home; it's a safe bet that the average new cosmetology licensee has wrapped hundreds more perms. So try out these tips and see if any of the classic pitfalls apply to you, then just keep practicing.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

How to wrap a perm

Plastic no teeth rollers not staying in place

Do you recommend the use of a hairnet to keep perm rods in place?