Perming Hair that is Thin

Permed thin hair — Photo: GingerKitten/Shutterstock

Q: I have naturally thin hair, when I was young my hair was extremely curly, but as I got older my curls started going away. I miss them, so I was thinking of getting a perm.

Well, my mother told me that if I got a perm, the curls would separate my hair into sections and give me bald spots, between the curls. Well, I would like to know if this is true and how to keep this from happening. Thank you.

A: It's a fairly common thing to experience a change in your hair's texture or wave pattern as you grow up/grow older. In most cases it is simply a matter of our genetic preprogramming. The fact that many women "used to have" a certain kind of hair is one of the reasons hair styling became such a major industry.

As for the problems that can arise from perming hair that is "thin", your mom is correct. Some women experience the "roller marks" syndrome after a perm, but this is usually due to the perm rods being overloaded or the hair not being properly sectioned for the perm. However, you can also use asymmetrical base sections in some cases to prevent much of the problem in this area.

The best method for prevention depends on the specific style/look you want to achieve. A good salon stylist will be able to explain to you the best method for preventing the marks you fear, based on the style you want to achieve. Simply explain to him/her your concerns and the look you want to achieve.

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See also:

Perms

Thin and thinning hair Q&A

How to prevent perm rod marks

Perm spacers and hair breakage