Change in Perm Results
The problem is: in the past I waited 3 or more days to wash my hair after a perm and my hair would feel "crunchy" (only word I can think of) and all I would have to do when I got up in the morning would be to run my fingers thru my hair or take a pick and pick it up to a nice shape and the shape stayed all day. I could go for weeks like this without setting my hair.
The last 4 or 5 perms I got did not produce this result. My hairdresser is baffled also. I just got a perm last Friday and the same thing. I washed it yesterday and this morning it's flat to my head. There is curl but no "body" to make a nice shape. I have to set it again. I hate setting my hair every day of my life.
Are they making the perms differently? All I have are "soft" curls which are nice if my hair held it's shape but it doesn't. Thanks for any suggestions on this.
The first thing to do is to check the perm formula being used. Since your hairdresser is also baffled, it may require some investigation into possible, unpublicized changes in the formulation of the perm formula that she (or he) has been using on your hair. If your hairdresser doesn’t use a specific brand of perm consistently, or has recently changed brands, etc., then that gives a more-likely answer to this puzzle.
In this case, you should ask your hairdresser to try different perm brands – focusing on alkaline/cold waves, as they offer the firmest curl results. Hopefully, a different brand of perm will return to you the results you have come to expect. Of course, it is “possible” that your hair has been changing on its own and responds differently to perming for this reason. The solution may simply be to find a style that you can enjoy and which remains a low-maintenance style.
However, while you’re trying to get the results you’ve come to expect, I can offer a suggestion that may help you improve the curl of your perm. The technique is called “air neutralizing” and involves perming the hair normally until you reach the rinsing stage after the waving lotion is processed. Once the hair is fully rinsed of waving lotion and blotted carefully with a towel, the rolled hair is dried under a cool dryer (or in some cases the client is sent home to allow the hair to airdry overnight) and then neutralizer is applied to the dried hair and the process is completed as normal.
Among those who use this technique, the claim is that the curls are stronger and the perm results last longer. Talk to your stylist about this and get his/her feedback on the suitability for you.
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
Perms and perming
Formulas for permanent waves