Perm Rods
How to Know What Size You Need
I often receive questions about perm rods and which sizes are suitable for different hair lengths. People often seek straightforward answers to their questions, but unfortunately, it's not always that simple.
Choosing perm rods requires a bit of finesse when it comes to selecting the right one. The size of the perm rod you need depends largely on the length of the hair being permed and the desired level of curl in the final style.
Curl vs. Wave vs. Body
We've all come across terms like "Body Wave," "Body Perm," and "Curly Perm," but they often cause confusion. Most people don't understand what these terms mean and how specific perm rods contribute to creating these effects. The principle is simple: the more times the hair is wrapped around the perm rod, the more bends are formed.
Longer hair requires more wraps around a rod of a particular size. To achieve a natural-looking wave that complements the hair's texture and length, we typically use larger rods on longer hair. However, this depends on the desired outcome.
Say we have a client who has neck-length, layered hair and she wants a lot of volume and curl in the hair. Her hair is an average of 5 inches long in its shortest areas. Depending on how tight a curl was desired, we’d probably use a gray or white perm rod to wrap the hair. If she wanted less curl and just "body" we’d probably use a purple rod to create the largest and softest wave pattern.
With shorter lengths, using large rods can give large, soft curls and add wave instead of curl. The shorter the hair is, the smaller the range of rod diameters that we would be likely to use would be.
The Rods Themselves
Perm rods are designed according to a universal standard. They come in various sizes that are color-coded, although different manufacturers may use shades of the same color that differ from equivalent-sized rods made by other manufacturers. The key is to understand the basic color coding, as some rods may not appear visibly different in size.
It's important to note that perm rods are available in both "concave" and "straight" versions. Concave rods gradually taper towards the center and widen at the ends. This design offers two advantages. Firstly, it allows the rod to fit snugly against the scalp when hair is wrapped around it, at least to some extent. Secondly, it creates a slight variation in the curl, with looser curls towards the outer section, resulting in a more natural appearance. On the other hand, straight rods provide the advantage of creating uniformly shaped curls.
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