Permanent Waves Process & Heat

Bonnet hair dryer — Photo: Vitalii Smulskyi/Shutterstock

Q: Is there a difference between a permanent wave processed with heat vs. a permanent wave processed without heat? Is one better than the other? What do you recommend?

A: Permanent waves that require heat to process are known as endothermic waves and are generally going to be your ‘true acid waves’ and ‘low-pH waves’. These permanent wave types are used for people who have very fine-textured, very porous, or damaged hair that needs very special care. They tend to be slow to react and gentler for these hair types.

The waves that don’t use heat for processing are either exothermic waves (which produce their own heat through chemical reactions) or ‘cold waves’ which process at room temperature. The exothermic waves are best used for those whose hair is hard to curl or thick and coarse, while the cold waves are best for those with “normal” hair.

The type of wave you choose is going to depend on the type of hair you have. Just remember that the hair should always be in good condition before perming, regardless of your hair type. If your hair is damaged, it would be advisable to see a professional for any chemical services, since you are risking hair loss if you should make a mistake.

And always, ALWAYS remember that you are using chemical processes on your hair regardless of how gentle or “easy” the product claims to be. Pay close attention to timing and processing the hair.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Perms

Signs of damaged hair

The scientific process of perming and relaxing

The difference between acid and alkaline perms