Q: Can you tell me how I can get a perm without the awful smell?
A: That awful smell associated with permanent waves is caused by ammonia. The strong smell can usually be avoided by selecting
low-ammonia formulations of permanent waves, or opting for an acid perm.
Acid perms typically use glycerol monothioglycolate instead of ammonium thioglycolate to break the
disulfide bonds in the hair. They are generally much gentler to the hair and are slower acting, often requiring heat application to
make the perm process work. It's important when using at-home perm kits of an acid perm that you read the instructions carefully in
order to make sure you fully understand the differences in the procedures you must follow.
There are also low-ammonia waves that can be found on the market. These relatively-new formulas
work in much the same way as their older counterparts, but do have a reduced level of odor. However, there may still be some caustic smell associated with the perm.
In order to deal with the smell after the perm, you can always look for anti-odor shampoos that
will help remove the smell of perms as well as other chemical processes or environmental odors.
