If you don't have natural curls but always wanted it, hair perming might just be what you need. A hair perm may not be the latest in hair fashion but it sure hasn't lost its demand. And if you thought curls came in just one form, you’re in for a big surprise. There are different ways you can perm your hair, depending on the look that you want and think may suit you. Salon specialists, of course, are always there to advise and recommend what will work best for your hair texture and face cut.

But before we get into the different types of perm, let us take a closer look at what the hair perm process involves. A perm is a permanent weave that makes use of chemicals to reform and break the bonds of the hair. The strong solution softens the inner weave of the hair by breaking the cross link between and within the protein chains of the hair. As a result of which the hair goes through transformations of swelling, stretching, and eventually softening. Once this is done, the hair is wrapped around a perm rod to mold the hair into the curls of your choice.

Hair perming

There are various types of perms that can be done; styles will differ based mainly on the type of perm rod and the chemical solution used. Here are a few different types of popular perms:

Pin Curls: This can be done with or without a chemical solution. If not a permanent perm, pin curls can be done with the help of gel and pins. Sections of the hair are curled using pins, and then with the assistance from a little gel, your curls can be held firm for a reasonable amount of time.

Multi-textured Curls: This is done when people want a natural curl effect. Sections of chemically treated hair are wrapped around small and large rods loosely to create natural looking curls.

Spirals: Has cascading tight curls that have bounce and a subtle spring like action. The effect of a spiral perm would depend largely on the technique of the hair specialist, the length of the perm rod and the type of chemicals used.

Body Wave: Curls with volume would describe a body wave. Here your hair has loose perms that are stylized with a slight wave. It is done by sectioning hair and loosely curling it around large perm rods, the result of which are natural-looking large curls with a lot of movement.

Stacks: Are great for women with a single, non-layered hair length. It gives the illusion of layers and makes the hair look voluminous. This look can be achieved either perm rods or rollers of different sizes.

Weaves: This is a look when one only wants perms to some sections of the hair while keeping the rest of it, the way it is. Weaves give a textured look to the hair.

Gentle Wavy: is more of adding waves to the hair than curls. This adds more structure, body as well as form to the hair. It is done with the help of large perm rods with hair wrapped very loosely around it.

Part Spiral: As the name says, this look adds curls to the lower portion of the hair strands, curling only the edges. It works best for medium length to long hair.

There are some important factors to keep in mind before going for a perm. If you hair is damaged or has been recently colored, it is best to avoid getting a perm. Here’s an old way of checking if your hair is damaged, put a few strands of your hair in a bowl, if it sinks, it may be damaged but if it floats, your hair is healthy. Also get an expert’s opinion on whether your hair is ready to go through a chemical process. The thicker the hair, the better the perm will turn out.