Permed Hair & Home Straightening

Grown out perm — Photo: Irina Bg/Shutterstock

Q: I got my hair permed about 2 years ago when my hair was quite long. Here, two years later, all my permed hair is still not grown out. About half of my hair up to my roots is straight, while the below half is still permed. I'm sick having to straighten my hair with a flat iron or wear it up. I'm considering getting an at-home straightening kit to straighten the rest of my permed hair. Is this safe to do?

I've heard a lot of different things of these things, and I'm unsure. I also highlighted my hair twice since I got my perm, the most recent a couple of months ago. Will the kit ruin my hair or my highlights? Please help me. Thanks a bunch.

A: As long as your hair is in good condition, you should be fine to use the home straightening kit. I would recommend you give yourself a deep conditioning treatment a day or two beforehand, to make sure your hair is in optimal condition before the process. Be sure to read the package carefully and make sure that the kit you use is a thio-based kit (i.e. using ammonium thioglycolate) or is compatible with thio-permed hair.

As for the potential effect on your hair and highlights, your hair should be fine as is explained above, but you may experience some lightening of the highlights, since these kits use peroxide as a neutralizing agent. Previously lightened hair can be lightened further when it's already porous. It can also alter hair that has been recently colored.

I do recommend that you follow the package instructions carefully and time the processing closely. If your hair is past your shoulders, you may also want to enlist the aid of a friend to help you keep your hair straight while it is being processed.

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See also:

Is it safe to use a home straightening kit on lightened hair?

Can an Ogilvie hair straightening home kit be used on color treated hair?

Can I use a home permanent to straighten my permed hair?