Q: I would like to get a perm in 3 days and I was wondering: is it ok if I flat iron my hair before I get one? Is it ok to use
hair grease as well or just flat iron it naturally?
A: You can certainly flat iron your hair prior to having a perm service. However, I want to make sure that you understand that this
kind of styling won’t have any bearing on the results of your perm service unless this is meant to be a “straight perm” (which is also
known as a “thio straightener”) in which case it could be useful in providing a smoother starting point for a permanent straightening
service (provided that the hair is shampooed first as part of the service).
However, regardless of the type of perm service you are planning to get, I would recommend that you
avoid using any heavy products during the styling immediately prior to getting the perm service. These chemical services generally
begin with a shampooing step using a clarifying shampoo, but avoiding heavy products can ensure a cleaner result and therefore better perm penetration.
Remember, heat styling only affects the physical side bonds of the hair and this change is only
good until the next time the hair is exposed to moisture or heat. On the other hand, perms alter the configuration of the chemical
side bonds and once neutralized, these changes are permanent.
