What is a perm?

Answer 1

A perm is also called a relaxer because it chemically relaxes the natural curls of your hair. There is a lye version and a no-lye version. The lye version is was developed before the no-lye version and is chemically more damaging than the no-lye version. Perms, or relaxers, change the structure of the hair shaft. This process is permanent but must be reapplied to the new growth of the hair at the roots (called virgin hair) to continue with the straightened look. This process is called "touch ups" because it is not necessary to perm all the hair but just the virgin hair.

AnswerPerms are perms and relaxers are relaxers. Relaxers contain hydroxides--either lye or guanidine hydroxide. Perms contain ammonia compounds. The reason for the difference is the kind of hair it's going on. Ethnic hair requires a much greater assault on it to make it change chemically than caucasian hair does, because it's thicker and coarser.

If you were to put permanent wave solution on ethnic hair, the hair wouldn't respond very much. Put relaxer on caucasian hair and it might dissolve.

Answer"Perm" is short for "permanent wave". A chemical that softens the outer layer of the hair is applied, then the hair is wound around rods or rollers. Depending on the size of the rollers the result may either be curlier or straighter hair. After the hair has set on the rollers for a while, a neutralizing solution is used to stop the process. Perming damages hair, and it takes a while for the cuticle (outer layer) to recover, so be careful with freshly permed hair. (Don't use dyes, go swimming in chlorinated water, etc., for a few days afterwards.)