Epsom Salt Treatment

Epsom salt
Photo: Diane C. Macdonald/Shutterstock
Q: My perm has not taken. I asked for a tight, spiral perm but have ended up with a slight kink in places and straight in other areas. In fact most of my hair has not taken.
 
I have been offered an Epsom salt treatment to re-condition the curl and to ascertain what parts of my hair require another perm. Have you heard of such a treatment, and surely conditioning treatments should be offered and a re-perm, not products to try and coax a curl?

 
A: Actually, an Epsom salt treatment is a gentle, natural conditioning treatment for the hair that is meant to condition and soften the hair, particularly hair that has been damaged or potentially damaged.
 
It was most likely recommended because the stylist doesn't want to risk doing anything that would possibly damage the hair until he or she can assess the extent of the hair's condition.
 
Prior to the initial perm service, the stylist should have performed a strand test and test curl in order to ascertain the exact timing for the perm service and to make sure the hair would withstand the processing. If this wasn't done, there is a possibility that your hair was over-processed, in which case attempting to re-perm the hair would only cause further damage. A gentle conditioning treatment to assess the hair's needs would indeed be in order.
 
If you feel that your hair was improperly handled, you would be well within your rights to speak to the salon manager and request a refund so that you can pursue treatments and services elsewhere. However, if you have faith in the stylist to rectify the situation for you, then give him or her a chance to fix the problem.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Perms
 
Signs of damaged hair
 
How to do a strand test
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