# Perming for Asian Hair?



## yellow_gummybear

The hair straightening and hair-do threads inspired this one. 

I have very long hair (couple inches below bra strap on back) and like my hair wavy/curly. The way I usually do this is loosely french braid it when damp and let it set overnight. However, this is kinda a pain in the butt and I was thinking about just getting it permed. I used to dye my hair a blond colour (so it's been bleached), but now just dye it a dark brown at home. 

I'm not sure if the perm will kill my hair. Any advice? Also, if you get a perm, do you have to keep doing it every couple of months? Cuz its kinda ugly when it's half curly and really frizzy. Plus, do you have to wait for the permed hair to all grow out to have straight hair again?


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## amanda

i wouldn't get a perm, i've never ever seen a perm go well.

there's an asian girl at my work who uses hot rollers to curl her hair and it always looks very nice.  maybe get some of those and leave them in for a few minutes while you're getting ready in the morning?


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## IntlSet

They have some kind of special perm that gives big loose waves. It's not like a chemical perm, it has its own special name... bah! Memory is shot. I'll recall it in a little while.


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## pursegalsf

Don't do it! I had a perm when I was 14 and it was horrible. It damaged my hair!


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## nana_plutus

I say do it - perms are different these days - much better than the horrible 80's stuff.  I got one this summer with big waves (not small kinky ones) and loved it!  I'm getting it done again.  btw - my hair is 3 inches past shoulder. 

Just make sure to get lots of references, ask them if they do perms on a regular basis, talk about the result you want and of course, best of all is if a friend of yours has used the stylist.

I usually touched up a few pieces here and there w/ a big barrel curling iron if i left it loose too.

Hope you try it!


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## ajamesgrly

IntlSet said:
			
		

> They have some kind of special perm that gives big loose waves. It's not like a chemical perm, it has its own special name... bah! Memory is shot. I'll recall it in a little while.


 
Is it a body wave???  My friend had it done and it came out really nice


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## abandonedimages

My cousin got a perm when she was a teenager. She strongly advised me against it. Then my mom told me in some cases, your hair may never grow back the same way again.


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## ilovelouisvuitton

I permed my hair too and I'm loving it. I used to have my hair rebonded (straightened) for 3 years. I got bored and decided to perm my hair. I went for a digital perm (it has been a year and it still great), but just last week my sis went for a  newer type of perm called a ceramic perm. It won't damage your hair as long as you put a hair-mask cream (from loreal or kerastase will do) on your hair everytime you washed your hair. It's a lil' bit of hassle, but all you need to do is spending extra 15 mins in the bathroom. It is worth the hassle  

Once you've permed your hair, you need to pay extra care & attention with your hair, it's totally different with straight hair. You'll need to get the hair-care treatments, shining spray, the foam, hair-spray, hair-creams, shampoo, conditioner, gels, etc (I attached the pic of my basic hair necessities). If you don't mind spending an hour or two on your hair to look good, I'd say perm it! Because permed hair won't look good if you don't put gel, spray, etc. 

Until now, I still like my curly hair better than my straight rebonded hair. If you put color & highlight on a permed hair, it'll look way better than black/dark-colored hair. You can see the waves/curls way better with lighter-colored hair 

I hope it helps. Pardon my english, it's my 2nd language :shame:


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## ajamesgrly

ilovelouisvuitton said:
			
		

> I permed my hair too and I'm loving it. I used to have my hair rebonded (straightened) for 3 years. I got bored and decided to perm my hair. I go for a digital perm (it has been a year and it still great), but just last week my sis went for a newer type of perm called ceramic perm. It won't damage your hair as long as you put a hair-mask cream (from loreal or kerastase will do) on your hair everytime you washed your hair. It's a lil' bit of hassle, but you just spend extra 15 mins in the bathroom, but it is worth the hassle
> 
> Once you've permed your hair, you need to pay extra attention with your hair. You'll need to get the hair-care treatments, the foam, hair-spray, cream, shampoo, conditioner, gel, etc (I attached the pic of my basic hair necessities). If you don't mind spending an hour or two on your hair to look good, I'd say perm it! Because permed hair won't look good if you don't put gel, spray, etc.
> 
> Until now, I still like my curly hair better than my straight rebonded hair. If you put color & highlight on a permed hair, it looks way better than black/dark-colored hair. You can see the waves/curls way better with lighter-colored hair
> 
> I hope it helps. Pardon my english, it's my 2nd language :shame:


 
wow, that was really helpful!  thanks!


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## ilovelouisvuitton

ajamesgrly said:
			
		

> wow, that was really helpful! thanks!


 
No problemo!


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## chibifry

Get the digital perm then.. I heard it does require maintenance but its better than having to braid your hair every night  Plus its really pretty.


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## bella1

I've always had very straight long hair, never used any chemical (dyes/highlights) and recently decided to switch it up a bit.  I don't like the regular perm as it makes you look really old (for Asians especially that is).  I got the setting/digital perm and it looks weighed down,and loose curls towards the bottom half of your hair length as if you used rollers. They have to layer the hair quite a bit to make it look good for the perm.  It's relatviely easy to maintain.  I just get out of the shower, towel dry, spread some Frederic Fekkai glossing cream and twirl the hair into about 5/6 sections and the curl stays that way and doesn't go all over the place like the puffy perms.  Maybe I'm used to never having to do anything w/my hair, thus I notice that my hair is not as silky and soft as it used to be. I wash my hair every other day and the good thing is towards the 2nd day, my hair doesn't get flat and slightly greasy anymore. It's a bit coarse.  But digital perm last farily long time, so I do it only every 6 months.  Plus, if you're braiding wet hair by any chance, it's not supposed to be good for your hair and also can have a smell to it.


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## harm0ni

I got a perm once and I still consider it the worst decision I've ever made.  All the chemicals damaged my hair tremendously...I mean...they were breaking pretty darn close to the roots...For a couple of months I had a spikey front (somewhat like a chia pet) that I could not tame for the life of me.  I think that my hair just wasn't strong enough to withstand all the chemicals.  And I must say...maintaining a perm was a little bit more work than I'm willing to do.


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## LVmom

I'll just throw my two cents in here and say that perm solutions are very different now,and much easier on the hair. As long as the stylist is with you monitoring the process the whole time and not cutting 4 other heads of hair at the same time and they are experienced with perms, it should be a totally different experience than most people remember.


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## IntlSet

Digital perm was what I was thinking of. I've been considering this myself.


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## yellow_gummybear

amanda said:
			
		

> there's an asian girl at my work who uses hot rollers to curl her hair and it always looks very nice. maybe get some of those and leave them in for a few minutes while you're getting ready in the morning?


 
Ha ~ I have a set and the curls last all of 2 hours.


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## yellow_gummybear

wow you guys have been so helpful!! ... 

It seems like I should stay away from the traditional perm... and ask about digital perming or a version of the newer perm types. 

BTW, I used to have my hair bleached.... will a perm KAMIKAZE my hair?


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## CrazyBagLady

amanda said:
			
		

> i wouldn't get a perm, i've never ever seen a perm go well.
> 
> there's an asian girl at my work who uses hot rollers to curl her hair and it always looks very nice. maybe get some of those and leave them in for a few minutes while you're getting ready in the morning?


 
asian hair is georgeous.  Sleek ,and black and nice and thick.  I would love it!  it looks great straight.


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## Sadetwl

Perms in this day and age are done way better than the 80s and early 90s.  I'm asian, and got a perm last year from when i had long hair, and it was gorgeous.  It eventually grew out and i cut it around last november, but I would most definantely do it again.


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## clanalois

CrazyBagLady said:
			
		

> asian hair is georgeous. Sleek ,and black and nice and thick. I would love it! it looks great straight.



I know, I love my fine, superstraight hair. I have a lot of it, and it's actually very pliable and I like to give it waves with a curling iron every now and then.  But straight and sleek is so beautiful and natural!


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## bijou

i would make sure to get treatments for your hair..."coating" keeps it looking nice and shiny. 

my roomie permed her hair...(it looked crimpy to me..but if i told her that she would KILL me) and it looked GROSS. it looked FRIED. she did it every few months too


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## Care

ilovelouisvuitton said:
			
		

> my sis went for a newer type of perm called a ceramic perm.


 
My friend just got this done last month! It gives you a good wave and supposedly does not damage your hair! it's been a month and it still looks pretty good! 

I personally love Asians with curls because I just think it's fabulous! it's different!


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## yellow_gummybear

Thanks everyone! Excellend advice!


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## ameka

i'm asian, have recently permed my hair and i LOVE it. Went to my usual Aveda salon to my trusted stylist and it came out great with minimal damage, etc.

Most important advice would be to have good condition pre-perm (deep conditioning, protein treatments, regular trims), go to an experienced stylist and communicate exactly what you want, and get recs on aftercare and products (i use Aveda Damage Remedy s&c). 

Good luck!

(i posted pics on makeupalley.com under the same username you can check out)


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## ilovelouisvuitton

yellow_gummybear said:
			
		

> Ha ~ I have a set and the curls last all of 2 hours.


 
I usually put loreal air fluid on my hair before using the iron curler. It lasts for 2-3 days


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## brit_S86

If you have bleach on your hair,dont perm it,Also if you do perm it,as it grows out,you can reperm just the roots.you do not need "daily maintance"just make sur eyou use a product to kill th efrizz.also,some salons,will do a perm in baraids.It IS possible to put some breads in your hair,and perm it that way if thats what you want..many people dont do it that way,but it can be done


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## yellow_gummybear

ilovelouisvuitton said:
			
		

> I usually put loreal air fluid on my hair before using the iron curler. It lasts for 2-3 days


 
Lordy, I've triend everything, but hot settings just dont work on my hair. I even went to the salon to get my hair nice and curly (for my high school grad way back when) and it was suuuuuuper curly (I looked like Shirley Temple, just with bigger curls) for about 6 hours, and then it was straight again.


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## yellow_gummybear

brit_S86 said:
			
		

> If you have bleach on your hair,dont perm it,Also if you do perm it,as it grows out,you can reperm just the roots.


 
I was thinking of perming not all my head, but just below the ears to get big curls. But then again, it has been bleached, so it looks like I'll have to wait a loooong time to get this done! What about ceramic perms --- are they still bad for bleached hair?


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## brit_S86

Im not sure about the ceramic perms,we dont use them at work.It is possible to just do your ends though.How long ago did you bleach your hair?what did you use a home kit,or did you go to the salon?


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## jc2239

yellow_gummybear said:
			
		

> I was thinking of perming not all my head, but just below the ears to get big curls. But then again, it has been bleached, so it looks like I'll have to wait a loooong time to get this done! What about ceramic perms --- are they still bad for bleached hair?



i'm asian and i got the digital perm after i'd bleached my hair (although it had been a few months).......i got big curls for the lower half of my head and it looked fabulous (for about 2 1/2 weeks).....my hair has never held curl well......goes limp in like 2 hours....so this was a good solution but the upkeep was a pain in the ass compared to my straight as a pin, brush and go hair so chopped it all off

but i definitely agree with the posters that said asian hair looks gorgeous curly....and straight....i think we're just blessed with gorgeous hair


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## KelC

I've do rebonding 8 months ago. If I perm my hair, will my hair damage & the curl not natural ?


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## LouisLady

I recently met this asian girl that had her hair permed. it was horrible...it fried her WHOLE head.


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## chinchillamoose

I'm Asian with thick, full, straight Asian hair, and I've been permed for over a year.  Most people think my hair is naturally wavy--even people who knew me pre-perm think I let it grow out into a wavy state.  I get it re-permed every 6 months because my hair holds the waves really well.  Even though 6 months means a lot of growth between perms, it doesn't look weird or unnatural.  A lot of naturally wavy hair begins to curl a few inches from the scalp.

I think it really depends on where you go for the perm.  If you go to a higher end salon that use quality products and train their staff well, then it will look very natural. If you go to a place where the staff isn't trained and don't use the latest products, it will probably look horrible. 

I just use a hair treatment mask once a week and put some Kiehl's Creme with Silk Groom in my hair while it's still wet every time I shower.  It doesn't look damaged at all.  And I used to have completely bleached hair because I had it dyed pink for a while so the ends are probably damaged from that, but it looks normal.


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## koukanamiya

I've tried both coloring, highlighting, and perming my hair. It really depends on the type of perm and who is doing the perming. A good stylist will know the right amount to use because everyone's hair is different. I always get my hair permed by the same stylist and it's great~ However, he does advise against perming AND coloring at the same time. He said to wait at least 2 weeks before coloring after you've permed your hair, and even then it depends on each person's hair's characteristic.

I have a short and round face, therefore I find perming my hair to be a great technique to make my face look shorter. I absolutely cannot do the straight perm because it serves to make my face fatter. My hair is currently not permed as I'm letting it rest for a bit. however, I'll most likely go back to perming it when winter comes. I've stopped coloring my hair because it's a bit pointless to do so when my hair is already naturally brown ...

Btw, I found having wavy permed hair to be much lower maintenance than layered hair.  I don't even have to blowdry it.  Just put a little bit of gel and leave-in conditioners and let the hair dry.  Voila~~


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## poutine

KelC said:
			
		

> I've do rebonding 8 months ago. If I perm my hair, will my hair damage & the curl not natural ?


 
rebonding is very drying to your hair as it is.  you should give it a year before perming.  i have rebonded hair too and it can be quite drying when i don't do any hair treatments, worst i have coloured hair too so double whammy!!  then again, it depends on the current condition of your hair, or check with your hair stylist.


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## koukanamiya

What's rebonding?


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## poutine

koukanamiya said:
			
		

> What's rebonding?


 
rebonding is getting the hair straighten chemically. even after a wash, your hair is still straight, saves time in the morning, just and go.


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## koukanamiya

poutine said:
			
		

> rebonding is getting the hair straighten chemically. even after a wash, your hair is still straight, saves time in the morning, just and go.


 
Thanks!!  Hm, it does sound pretty harsh on the hair ...


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## mee4

I'm asian and I have full, thick, frizzy hair.  I rebond my hair once a year since its easier for me to handle.  I still use a straight iron from time to time to make it super straight.  I dont want to overly damage my hair so I pick either rebonding or coloring and rebonding it was.  I'm jealous with all you ladies that have fine, super straight hair.  Guess I want what I cant have!

I would also love to have curls.  I normally curl my hair with a iron on special occassions since it takes 45 minutes.  I have my sister do it because she works wonders curling my hair with a straight iron!


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## amych83

For the past few years I been getting my hair chemically staightened so I permed my hair last month in NYC and it turn out really good, better than I expected.  The hair stylist only permed the lower half of my hair. My curls are like big spiral curls.


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## kat0730

I just got a perm...actually, a body wave on Sunday and I love it.  I was a bit scared so I told them I wanted loose curls.  It turned out great, but now I want tighter curls.  Oh well, next time.  They asked me which solution I prefered and I said an expensive one.  My hair is shiny and silky and I only use this one shampoo for curly hair.  I forgot what brand.  I think its Biolage.  Then I use the Wella mouse.  It's really low maintenance compared to my straight hair in which I had to wash and condition and blow dry.  Now I wash, towel dry and just scrunch in some mouse.


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## mojito

i just got a body wave last weekend and I LOVE IT =)
best decision i ever made. my hair doesnt get as oily and flat as it used to and it has SO much body...  i just use biosilk and some texturizing sprays (by john frieda) and it look great all the time!


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## ilovelouboutins

Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! PLease I'm trying to Save you!!! I did it and it's horrible! Curley/wavy hair is so much harder to take care of and you'll have tangles and its just horrible. It's been 1 year and it still hasn't grown all out and I have to live with it. It's horrible. I know you posted in March and it is now Sept, but just in case---DON'T!!!


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## riss81

pursegalsf said:


> Don't do it! I had a perm when I was 14 and it was horrible. It damaged my hair!


 
Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum, but wanted to add that, if you can find it, the rebonding wave is supposedly one of the best for asian perms.  it should give you soft waves with minimal damage.

Btw, *pursegalsf* how did you get your haircolor?  it's gorgeous!  i have been looking to lighten my hair at home but it just gets reddish/orange.


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## Swtest2Lips

I say stick with the hot rollers! Remember to use a heat protecter on ur hair! It will keep your hair nice and healthy!


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## RinSohma

I'm not a fan of the perm.Have you tried a good hair straightener like Maxiglide it works really great.


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## alindamay

I got the perm done 2 years ago to get that loose wavy look.  I'll just say one thing, it does not come out how you expect it.  It took forever to grow out and soon became a pain.  Just from my experience. . .


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## bismarck

I have an asian friend with permed and highlighted hair. Hers looks fine to me. After the initial perm, she looked like a poodle, but after about a year it's relaxed and turned into the most beautiful curls. I don't know whether this is due to time or just her hair getting longer.

Also, I have another Asian friend who permed her hair, then got it straightened, and has dyed her hair many times. She used to have the most beautiful, thick, dark, straight hair ever...it was very beautiful indeed. Now after all that chemical processing, she says it just isn't the same. It's not as thick or as healthy, and she hopes that after it's given some time to recover, it'll go back to its former lustrousness.

I hope that helps, and doesn't just confuse the issue more.


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## CEC.LV4eva

I've permed my hair twice, or technically 3 times cuz for the second one, the curls unloosened in like 1 day.... I went back to the salon cuz I didn't think it should happen so fast, and the guy agreed that something's wrong, permed me again and I got double damage (in addition to the dyed hairush... My hair became quite weak and I was able to easily break it apart as opposed to now where I find it can resist to more tension. Also, i find the process of getting a perm to be really painful and awkward, then the upkeep is too much for me cuz I'm a 'brush n go' girl. After two years of messing with my hair, I've found that my naturally dark brown (yes I'm asian lol) hair is the best. I no longer want to maintain/get a specific hairstyle, I just let it grow naturally to about shoulder length and get it trimmed à la kate moss lol


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## crepezryummy

i'm asian and i have permed (or almost semi-permed) hair. and it's really not that bad, actually not bad at all. just make sure u do your research and pick a decent salon to do it at. and also be sure to show pictures of what you might want your curls to look like.

this is my real life style of my perm. *pics below* 

for the *1st pic*, that was the DAY i got my hair permed. notice how super curly it is. and that was NOT how i wanted my hair to look like... i want big curls/waves. but the salon person told me that they NEED to make it super curly because when you wash, it dies out.  please ignore my worn out makeup... i was in the salon from 1 pm to 8 pm. 





for the *2nd pic*, that was the 3rd day (i believe) after i got my hair permed. i had already washed my hair. notice how much more subtle it is. definitely turning into the results i wanted.




*3rd pic*, this is like 2.5 months after. it really died down.. but you can still see it. it's more wavy than curly.




*4th pic*, 3 months after... sort of the same... but you get what i mean.





so yeah, sorry for not having more informative pictures, i was searching through my albums... haha.
it's been about 4.5 months since i got my perm. i'm planning to get a haircut realll soon because well... i'm so weary of it. trust me, having permed hair is a hassle.

hope i was informative.


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## lolitakali

My natural hair was wavy and for years, I always had a layered cut to it.  

I had my hair permed for Christmas last year because I really wanted something different (almost everybody has a layered cut straight to wave hair anymore).... come to find out, Christina Aguilera had hers permed as well for the NYC New Years event.  Which is cool!  Its more like a 20's to 30's style curls.

I have to say it is quite high maintainence (time wise) for a permed hair.... unlike my old hairstyle which was a quick dry and go!

That's me in the pic. for the 2007 New Years' Party.  And also Christina Aguilera's curls which I love!!!


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## hc1871

Hi all, 

I have been thinking about getting a perm for about a year now. It is very strange but I used to have super stright hair that would not even curl but in the past 5 years my hair has been getting more and more frizzy  It is also starting to hold a curl but not all day. 

I would love to have nice loose waves. Or like this photo below. I don't know who this girl is but I love her hair, her color as well. 

Would this be a big curl perm and just on the bottom or a body wave?

Also do you guys think curly hair will make my big round face look even fatter? Right now I have long layers. It helps contour my cheeks 
TIA


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## Excess Baggage

I have been perming my hair with digital perm method for 2 years now - three times. My hair grows pretty fast, so by the time I'm left with end curls, my top is all super straight. I love the curls and with digital, it's really easy to maintain. Just a few drop of Loreal Curl Serum, scrunch and go. If you want more define curls, use mousse. If you want straight, you can always blow straight. It's so versatile. With the perm, I look 'softer' and cuter  and makes my big face looks smaller!


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## Excess Baggage

HC1871,

If your face is broad, big or puffy - soft perms will look really good. Initially, the curls may look too curly, but with digital perm, you can manipulate the curls by losening up the curls with some serum - I have used serum + straigtener gel and the result is wavy curls (never comb!!)


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## HubbaWubba

From someone who has wavy hair and would kill for stick straight , shiny hair like asians have, why why why do you guys want to mess your hair up?!? You guys have gorgeous hair. It takes me an hour to blow dry and use a ceramic iron. Don't get me started if it is high humidity out!  I guess we always want what we don't have.


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## Fenix

I'm Asian and have had both chemical straight and chemical perms done before. I've noticed that Asians usually have fine hair, and the chemicals used can be quite harsh. In general, I try not to get a chemical done within 6 months of each other and after it, I use Indian oil on my hair once a week and conditioner everytime I wash. You can also get treatments done on your hair to help it heal. It really depends on your own hair type.

IMO a perm is only good if you have lots of hair and it's quite long.




HubbaWubba said:


> From someone who has wavy hair and would kill for stick straight , shiny hair like asians have, why why why do you guys want to mess your hair up?!? You guys have gorgeous hair. It takes me an hour to blow dry and use a ceramic iron. Don't get me started if it is high humidity out!  I guess we always want what we don't have.


Have you tried a Japanese hair strightening? It's a permanent chemical hair strightening which lasts 6 months, great results you won't have to kill anyone for  I've done it twice before.


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## hc1871

Excess Baggage said:


> HC1871,
> 
> If your face is broad, big or puffy - soft perms will look really good. Initially, the curls may look too curly, but with digital perm, you can manipulate the curls by losening up the curls with some serum - I have used serum + straigtener gel and the result is wavy curls (never comb!!)


 
Thanks Excess. I'm going to call and see if Yoshi does digital perm. My stylist is Japanese he is great with asian hair. He always told me I should do a perm but I kept putting it off.


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## maggiie

my advice is if you're going to do it, go to a good place and pay top dollar. I've had it done twice before, once at a really upscale place and once at an average place. There was such a huge difference the second time I got it done my hair was so fried. If you can resist the urge, I would definitely stick with cool cuts, cos in the long run it will screw up your hair.


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## babyslk7

Go to a JAPANESE SALON who is real Japanese hairstylist. Well, I live in San francisco, I go to yamamoto hair on Sutter St. I've done Japanese body perms and color with him for 6 yrs. He's the best. My hair never goes damage, yesss. His perm is superb, so natural, just like japanese girls in the magazines. His layering hair cut is magnificent, even other salon asked me where did I get my haircut. It's very define. Ok, sorry I sound like promoting..... !!! hehee... I wouldn't recommend hair straightening, it damage your hair no matter how good it is. Unless it's super tiny curly hair that U're born with. believe it or not... My perm last almost a year. I don't know what solution did he use on me. For maintainance I like to use curling iron or hot rollers, your hair look cute and stays. I get perm only once or twice a year (rarely). I have straight, fine asian hair. My hair turns flat the next day.  Perm help me a lot in styling, cos I'm a very hi maintainance girl. Get Helen of Troy curling blow dryer in blue n white. Or Vidal Sassoon curling iron in large barrel, they don't damage your hair like Hot Tools, cos it's not too over heated. I never got split ends anymore eventho I use VS curling iron almost everyday. Takes a little longer, but worth it. Hot tools is super hot but faster.


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## loveandhate

Heys..i need advise..

My hair is a lil bit too curly and dry..and because of this, i cant let down my hair..it looks ugly thx to split ends..but then i dont wanna rebond cos super str8 hair wont suit me..but then i like wavy wavy..will it work for me if i do digital perm? like maybe rebond halfway, then curl ? will it look nice ?


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## sailornep5

Oh my gosh, my mom used to get my hair permed with hers three times a year when I was young.  That was back when perm solutions smelled like that strong rotten egg odor (at least that's what the old school Asian salons used).  Yuck!  Anyways, when I just got out of college and moved out on my own, I decided I wanted the wavy look, so I got a perm done at one of those fancy expensive salons.  It just turned out bad - kinda half wavy, half curly and I ended up spending way more money each weekend going to another salon and getting it blown straight.  I got it blown straight for about 5 months until the perm worked itself out.  I'd never do it again!


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## LeoBabe

Hey everyone.. Im Leobabe.. Turning 21 fr Malaysia based in Ipoh.. Im new to this forum thingy.. Ive had wavy hair all my life where i used to tie them in plats.. Then 4 yrs ago i decided to rebond my hair.. Ive done it 2 times over the years.. My last was about a year ago.. Isit advisable tat i curl my hair now?? Will it work?? As my hair is getting back to its normal texture i was thinking of Rebonding the top n perming the bottom.. isit advisable to do this?? N wat kinda perm is nice?? Is there any site or pictaz tat i can compare the curls n see which will suit me better??

p/s- Any1 From Ipoh?? Can u suggest me a good saloon??

Plzz excuse my english.. Too many short forms n smsin language..


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## twin53

i got a salon perm a few years ago - i am eurasian -  i have straight thick chinese hair.  thanks mom! and i hated it. biggest mistake of my life.  just use hot rollers like others have suggested. that's what i do now that it is grown out completely.


----------



## .gracie.

Is there a difference between a digital perm and a body wave, or no? And do either of these give results like Jessica Simpson's beautiful big, loose curls?


----------



## neon_buildings

i think digital perms are prettier than body waves... and by that i mean they're more curly than wavy...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/Rainie123/Picture11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v53/Rainie123/Picture7651.jpg

credits: rainie on soompi (gahh, hope she doesn't mind me using her pics!)

btw, she got a digital perm done.


----------



## letsgo

Oh! I have Asian hair (well, cuz I'm Asian). and I say... *PERM IT*!!! so, my hair is super straight and my sophomore year in high school I decided to get a normal, wavy perm--bad choice. My hair basically held the perm for almost two weeks, and thereafter, it went straight.  

In April, I got a digital perm (also known as ceramic perm) and I LOVE it!! it's wonderful because it looks as though you always do your hair in the morning...basically, if your face doenst look great, at least your hair does  Additionally, it's been over 3 months and my hair still obviously has curls! 

The difference between a normal perm and a digital/ceramic perm is that a normal perm creates waves like ~~~~ while digital/ceramic perm creates loose curls, like a curling iron. 

so..get the digital/ceramic perm!! =)

I'll try  to add pictures tomorrow as an example for you


----------



## letsgo

Ha! decided since I had nothing better to do, might as well post hte pictures now.. lol

this is what it looks like when I was getting it done..









3+months later... how I look  RIGHT NOW (I took this just for you! )--after taking a 4 hr nap and being out the entire hot/sweaty day!






hair's grown out a small tad, but when they permed it, they permed it to about my eyes/top of my ears. It's 2am here and the permed hair looks better than it would if it was just straight!


----------



## .gracie.

I love love loveeee your hair *letsgo*! Can you only get a digital perm in asian salons?


----------



## Think2Day

OMG I love your hair letsgo!


----------



## letsgo

aw thanks gracie and think2day! 

i'm not clear whether it is only available in asian salons, but from what I know, it "originated" in Asia (--years ago, so we're FINALLY starting to have it in the US).


----------



## Pchans

Perm it! but do find a place that does REALLY good job, otherwise it's a mess. ask for digital perm if possible
I permed my hair more tham 6 times in 4 years, got some bad job 3-4 times. After that I stick to 1 hairdresser even if I have to fly out of town just to get my hair permed. 

no perm.. natural stick straight hair



with perm (back when my hair was shorter)






-P


----------



## Pchans

letsgo said:


> Ha! decided since I had nothing better to do, might as well post hte pictures now.. lol
> 
> this is what it looks like when I was getting it done..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3+months later... how I look RIGHT NOW (I took this just for you! )--after taking a 4 hr nap and being out the entire hot/sweaty day!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hair's grown out a small tad, but when they permed it, they permed it to about my eyes/top of my ears. It's 2am here and the permed hair looks better than it would if it was just straight!


 
any chance you live in US? if yes, what salon did you go? Your hair looks great!! 
I'm looking for good hairdresser who can do perm properly in US (My regular salon was back in my home country)

- P


----------



## jennielee

i'm korean with very long highlighted hair and had it permed in november and repermed in january.  i had it relaxed/straight permed in june and all of the highlighted areas are FRIED.  the highlights are so dry that it breaks off when i brush it.  I asked to get a deep conditioning treatment done but the stylist said the fried areas were beyond repair and that the only solution is to keep getting it trimmed until it's all removed.  

in short, the double chemical treatment of coloring and perming will destroy even the most healthy, strong hair.  

i will say though, that while my hair was curly and highlighted it looked GREAT


----------



## charger

I said if you are unsure then don't do it. My experiences were always bad and I always regretted it afterwards....the digital perm is interesting though


----------



## BrownEyedGurl

Eek, that's my main worry JennieLee.  I have highlighted hair too, and I don't want to completely FRY my hair if I get a digital perm.  

Letsgo, your hair looks SO good.  Could you tell us which salon you went to, and which city it's in?


----------



## squu

Hi everyone, Im a newbie to this forum. And totally confused too. Im deciding to get my hair curled. But there are so many options that im not able to decide. Can anyone tell me the difference beteen digital perm, body wave, ceramic perm and japanese perm. How long do they last? And any opinion from the experienced ones as to which would suit me. I have a round face and hair of medium length. Never got any chemical treatment done till now. Im alos wanting to get my hair colored, again for the first time. someone plzzz help me decide which one to get first and what will suit me....plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz help.


----------



## JAN!

I STRONGLY advise against getting this done. I had the healthiest hair I had ever seen on anyone before I got my perm a few years back. My hair has never been the same since. I never dyed my hair before or after the perm, and it has already been incredibly damaged from that one procedure. My hair was/is really strong and healthy too. It took me a couple of years to regain shine and strength back. Even still, it's not the same.

But if you really want to get it done...
You don't always have to keep going back to perm it. From my experience, it didn't look so bad growing out. I went to a really upscale salon where they used the best formulas. The perm lasted pretty long and the perm starts dying out when you can see the curls gradually turn into waves. (The lifetime of the perm does depend on the condition of your hair though and what formulas they used to do it.) The point is, the waves blend in with the straight hair growing in so it doesn't look entirely that bad. 
But if you want to get the perm out, just go to a good salon and tell them to relax it. What this procedure does is take out all the chemicals used in your perm and therefore neutralizes it, leaving your hair in the condition it was in originally. This procedure does use use its own chemicals though so it is also questionable. But I think it's a better alternative to getting it permed straight because then you are just kind of scratching the wound.


----------



## csamcharlie

^^ I strongly advise not getting it either but hey, it's your decision. I permed my hair about 5 years ago and I personally thought it looked good but everyone told me otherwise. Keep in mind that my hair was almost waist length.  I grew my perm out and permed it again thinking I'll have them bodywave it and for sure it'll look better. Plus I went to a more upscale salon so I figured it'll look awesome. Well... not really.  My hair was fried and it really hasn't been the same.  I've heard good things about hot rollers though.


----------



## lelzkewl

I am asian and I just got a digital perm (at a Korean salon) about 4 weeks ago. I'm LOVING it and didn't regret getting it done. I got many compliments too =).. big change to my blah straight hair. My hair got a little drier from it thou, but not too bad! The maintenance is really simple, I just wash my hair every other day, put hair lotion and some Redken product, srunch it and ready to go! My hair look dressy all the time... even when I don't have any make up on. LOL. So, if you want to get perm, I'd say go for it!


----------



## amych83

It depends who does your perm. You have to find a very good and experience stylist. I got my hair digi permed twice now in NYC Chinatown and they did a really good job. I like mine alot. First time I got it done it turn out like medium size spiral curls and the second time (last month) was bigger curls. The only thing is that when you wash your hair afterward you shouldn't brush your hair with a brush because it makes the hair not as curly it is better if you comb your hair through with your fingers. It is also a good idea to use styling/curling products.  Just make sure you find a good stylist.


----------



## rainrowan

If I ever did it again (unlikely), I'd make sure they did a body wave as opposed to a perm, and with large rollers . And none of that crap that stronger solutions and tiny rollers are best for limp asian hair.  The last time, they used so much perming chemical that the skin by my temples got burned pretty badly. And this was a salon in NYC on Madison Ave, Idiots!


----------



## soundjade

i dont know much about the different types of perms but ill give my two cents. i never had my hair bleached but i've had it highlighted several times in the last 2 years. my suggestion is to get it highlighted first and wait about 2 months before you get the hair permed. dont get it permed FIRST and THEN get it colored since perming is a lot more damaging than coloring. 

i've had 2 perms - my first was in march of 06 and i LOVE LOVE LOVED it and i would suggest it to any asian. BUT i got the digital perm which is a lengthier and to be honest more painful process since those rods can get quite heavy and you wear it for a lot longer (though its still not as painful as getting hair permanently straightened - i did that once about 6 years ago and ouch ) 

i will admit though that i didnt look the best in the hair bc at the time i had really long hair and i also have real thick hair and i continued to grow it until 6 months later when i decided to cut it. once i cut it and continually trimmed it, the remaining waves looked a LOT better. but yeah prior to that - if you have long and a LOT of curly hair, if you dont put product in and take care of it, it can look like youre homeless lol 

growing out straight hair with waves/curls is not bad at all - like the other girls have mentioned, it ends up blending in and it looks great. it only begins to look strange when your hair is straight except for the last 2 inches. 

what i DONt suggest is to do a regular perm with just those chemicals. i got my hair repermed just last month and i HATE IT. i dont know if it was the type of chemicals or maybe not all of my perm had grown out, but it completely damaged my hair and i really miss my silky smoothe asian hair. =( i miss my huge luxurious curls as well. i have no choice but to wait til it grows out and then i plan on completely straight perming it and letting it completely grow out until i have fresh new hair again. 

deep conditioning is key. as well as leave in conditioner and any type of curl-smoothing product is essential. 

dont know what else to say hope it helps. ill attach some pics lol 








this was my hair around 10 months after my perm and it still looks fresh kinda! sorry for the blurry pic lol i was taking a picture of a mirror at bloomingdale's LOL

the following attachments might be more helpful 

the one where i'm pinned up against the wall (LOL) was in sept. 06, so 6 months after my perm and about 1 month after i cut my hair 

the one where i'm wearing a blue tube top is actually from this year june/july 2007 - so about 1 year and 3 months after i permed it and right before i re-permed it which i immediately regret. 
as u can see its pretty much grown out but it waves still look in tact too.



last but not least - it really does depend on who does ur hair and where u get it done. i got mine done at Redken (digital perm) from i think a veteran stylist.  2nd perm i had was from a new girl i never met before (and i've been a Redken regular)


----------



## Lani_74

Hi my name is lani I just had my hair rebonded can I still go to the gym 3 days a week and wash my hair then without damaging it


----------



## shihfan

great perm pics ladies! those pics are SERIOUSLY tempting me to get a perm.... I have super fine hair and no body, i was hoping perm would give me some body and soften out my round face. I know thick/long hair looks good permed.... but any of you girls with finer/ thiner hair every tried a perm? is it a death trap?


----------



## claireZk

sailornep5 said:


> Oh my gosh, my mom used to get my hair permed with hers three times a year when I was young. That was back when perm solutions smelled like that strong rotten egg odor (at least that's what the old school Asian salons used). Yuck!


 
My grandmother is Japanese and gets those rotten egg perms, too!  I think hers is just a normal body wave from a regular salon.  If you've ever seen Delta Burke on Designing Women, that's that her hair looks like. It's pretty funny, actually. I'd post a picture, but she would beat my @ss if she found out! ush:

My mom is hapa and she has asian textured hair; it's shiny, thick and pin straight.  I have the nappy wavy white girl hair.  I straighten it everyday, so I would kill for asian hair!  I think everyone just wants what they don't have


----------



## no_reins

Wow Soundjade you have beautiful hair! I've been putting off getting a perm for years now, but after reading through almost everyones posts I think I'm finally going to try it out.  I definitely want to go for the digital perm; big, loose waves etc. but I've never so much as highlighted my hair- so I don't have a preferred salon in mind.  I'm going to be in NYC in January, so I was wondering if anybody has a salon/stylist they've used and swear by? It would be a great help!!  thanks so much!


----------



## misswamie

Hello, 

I live in London and have not been able to find any salon here that does digital perms for under $500!

I'm going to the US in a couple of months and was wondering if you have any salons you recommend for a digital perm? I am going to Manhattan and Los Angeles. 

I am Vietnamese and have straight Asian hair.

Thanks!!!


----------



## missmelissa

I've gotten a perm a few months back.. everyone says its so bad for your hair but i think constantly blow drying it and having it HEAT straigthened at home is worse. its knocking all that work all at once and saving time! thats yay =) I actually don't do anything to my hair and its fine


----------



## chloe.clementine

I think it all depends with what kind of product they use. They have a different solution for colored treated hair. If you don't want the curl size to be too small, you can get a body wave. They will use bigger curler. There's something called digital perm. It's something really hot in Asia, especially Hong Kong. It lasts longer (maybe up to 9 months), it looks more realistic, and it's softer to the hair. It all depends with the salon. Do a good research. Go to the a few different salon and ask what kind of product they use and find out about them. Curling iron isn't bad but the heat won't be good to your hair if you do it all the time. Blow drying, true, can damage your ahir, but a girll gotta do what she gotta do right? ush: If your head hurts, it's too hot.


----------



## pinky_ohana

Anyone who has had damaged hair, try Ogon. I bought this on a whim at Nordstrom's.
I highly recommend their Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment:
http://www.amazon.com/Ojon-Restorat...031832?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1193552741&sr=8-1
(Look at the reviews!)

Did wonders for my hair when a stylist really fried my hair!
Qi Salon, a salon that only uses Shisheido products, tried almost everything to get that damn perm out after another salon messed up my beautiful long hair.

Oh, I was in tears for weeks, until I found this stinky treatment. (Smells like burnt coffee.) I am addicted to this stuff.

Just leaving this stuff in my hair for 15 minutes, I don't need conditioner for the rest of the week!
I wish I had a "before" and "after".

Love, love this stuff!


----------



## guccilove

letsgo said:


> Ha! decided since I had nothing better to do, might as well post hte pictures now.. lol
> 
> this is what it looks like when I was getting it done..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3+months later... how I look RIGHT NOW (I took this just for you! )--after taking a 4 hr nap and being out the entire hot/sweaty day!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hair's grown out a small tad, but when they permed it, they permed it to about my eyes/top of my ears. It's 2am here and the permed hair looks better than it would if it was just straight!


 
OHMYGOSH!!!!
This is exactly what ive been wanting for my hair but i just never got a chance to research it and stuff, i never knew that they actually have something like this available for asian hair? i read thru this whole thread and learned that this is actually called a digital perm, or a ceramic perm. another lady recommended a japanese hair place in San Francisco that does this 'pretty well' according to her, anybody else recommend another?  i really need to start doing something with my tragic hair.  i've always carried it long and straight since birth!! i think it's time for some change after like 31 years!?!??!


----------



## BagaholicAnon

Ok, here's my 2 cents!  

I'm Asian also and have long straight hair.  I used to perm all the time and hated it, but did it again anyways!  My hair has been post perm for about 5 years now, and it's super healthy.  But, like everyone else, I want curly hair!  My hair takes to the curl really well initially, when I hot roll or curling iron, but it usually falls out within 30 minutes.  So, I got on the GHD bandwagon and am now awaiting my iron to see if it's as great as everyone says.  I've been tempted to perm again too, but I don't want curly hair everyday, just the option.  Also, the perms tend to leave you with wavy hair, not real curls.  I'll let you all know how the GHD works out.  I should be getting it today!


----------



## chloesmygirl

I had a digital perm in Hong Kong a couple years ago and I absolutely loved it.  It required very little fuss which is great because I'm very low maintenance.  My hair was pretty long  and thick and the perm started at around the tips of my ears...if you start too close to the root it gets too puffy and you get the poodle/triangle head effect.  Every morning I would just wash my hair and split it into to 4 equal sections, twist it and let it dry.  I didn't even have to put anything in it.  I got lots of compliments on it and everyone always thought I had curled it with a curling iron...so it looked really natural.  I would definitely recommend getting one.


----------



## chloesmygirl

Actually once I give birth I want to get another digital perm.  Does anyone know where is a good place to get one in Houston?  I don't even know any place that does them here.


----------



## shopaholic81

all the perm pictures look great. my hair is really thick and can get quite flat so a perm sounds like a good solution. i'm really not sure where i could get it done in chicago or how much it costs. does anyone any suggestions?


----------



## guccilove

chloesmygirl said:


> I had a digital perm in Hong Kong a couple years ago and I absolutely loved it. It required very little fuss which is great because I'm very low maintenance. My hair was pretty long and thick and the perm started at around the tips of my ears...if you start too close to the root it gets too puffy and you get the poodle/triangle head effect. Every morning I would just wash my hair and split it into to 4 equal sections, twist it and let it dry. I didn't even have to put anything in it. I got lots of compliments on it and everyone always thought I had curled it with a curling iron...so it looked really natural. I would definitely recommend getting one.


 
this is really good to hear!! thanks!! im pretty much petrified about doing it but like i said, i have never done anything with my hair my whole life, and this is exactly what i have in mind for my hair, i just didn't think it even existed!  anyway, i think i'm ready to take this risk.  if let's say, it doesn't work out for me,  then oh well....i guess i'll just have to live with it, and hope that it grows out fast enough for me to lose it hehe.


----------



## tinywaist

Maybe I should have done this instead of a regular perm!!


----------



## chloesmygirl

Also the best part of my digital perm was that my hair still felt soft and didn't feel damaged at all.  But when I highlighted my hair it was definitely more dry and tangled.


----------



## BagaholicAnon

OK, I got my GHD iron today and after about 15 minutes, I figured out the technique to curling and I LOVE IT!!!!  It took only 15 minutes to do my whole head and the curls are amazing!  My hair doesn't look all fried either, actually it looks very nice.  I did put some glossing cream in it afterwards.  I'm on my way to dinner, so I'll report back on how long the curls last.  That's usually where I have problems.  This is way better than a perm cause now I can go straight or curly!


----------



## guccilove

BagaholicAnon said:


> OK, I got my GHD iron today and after about 15 minutes, I figured out the technique to curling and I LOVE IT!!!! It took only 15 minutes to do my whole head and the curls are amazing! My hair doesn't look all fried either, actually it looks very nice. I did put some glossing cream in it afterwards. I'm on my way to dinner, so I'll report back on how long the curls last. That's usually where I have problems. This is way better than a perm cause now I can go straight or curly!


 
thats great that the GHD iron worked out for you! im actually considering getting this too and i will eventually.  the digital perm won't last forever.  so it'll be good to have this for my natural straight hair.  thanks for the update!  maybe you can show us some pics??


----------



## guccilove

chloesmygirl said:


> Also the best part of my digital perm was that my hair still felt soft and didn't feel damaged at all. But when I highlighted my hair it was definitely more dry and tangled.


 

i was wondering about this.  thanks for letting us know!!


----------



## BagaholicAnon

I'll try to post pics tomorrow!


----------



## tinywaist

guccilove said:


> thats great that the GHD iron worked out for you! im actually considering getting this too and i will eventually.  the digital perm won't last forever.  so it'll be good to have this for my natural straight hair.  thanks for the update!  maybe you can show us some pics??




I may have to invest in this GHD iron once my perm is gone.  I would love to see pics!!


----------



## cc327

hello.. would you happen to know any places in los angeles that do great digital perms?


----------



## chiqunique

If you still have bleach in your hair (underneath your brown ), which you prob do, don't get a perm yet cuz it will completely FRY your hair. take it from her a girl who's living with horse hair right now lol


----------



## margaritas

I haven't gone thru the thread but based on the title alone, yea why not? Look at the Korean girls, they always have such gorgeous curls after their digital perms. If you're afraid of damaging the hair, then perhaps you could do more treatments? HTH!


----------



## BrownEyedGurl

Wow, the pictures of perms look really great.  If you guys could let us know which salons you went to that would be SO helpful.

Thanks so much!


----------



## krisaya

I just permed my hair yesterday. Can anyone recommend some products for me to use? Now, do I have to change my shampoo and hair dryer too?


----------



## azia

Does anyone know a place in Toronto that does good digital perms? There are several Korean towns around here where there are a LOT of hair salons advertising perms but I don't really know which to go to!


----------



## jacdo

where can you get a digital perm in san jose, ca or the bay area?


----------



## SunnyFreckles

I just got my hair permed yesterday, my second in 6 months.  I am growing my hair out (it was 3-4 inches when I got it permed 6 months ago and then got it trimmed and cut out a lot of the perm) and it was 6-7 inches this time.

IT IS AWESOME!  I have to agree with many of the posters, perms these days are not the same as they used to be.  I use a leave in spray conditioner each day and have NO problems!

And I love my crazy curly hair!!!


----------



## priiin

I got a digital perm a few years ago when I was in Korea. It didn't last very long but I loved it.


----------



## apple_28

yellow_gummybear said:


> wow you guys have been so helpful!! ...
> 
> It seems like I should stay away from the traditional perm... and ask about digital perming or a version of the newer perm types.
> 
> BTW, I used to have my hair bleached.... will a perm KAMIKAZE my hair?



I'm like you. I've bleached and colored my hair so many times. I just have this habit of constantly changing my hair color b/c I get bored of it. With my hair normally stick straight, I've tried the typical perm and the digital perm. I found the digital one to be prettier since you get waves rather than a perm. It was less of a hassle to care for too.


----------



## apple_28

yellow_gummybear said:


> Lordy, I've triend everything, but hot settings just dont work on my hair. I even went to the salon to get my hair nice and curly (for my high school grad way back when) and it was suuuuuuper curly (I looked like Shirley Temple, just with bigger curls) for about 6 hours, and then it was straight again.



What kind of curling iron do you have? I have very thick, long hair and I use a 1 inch ceramic iron from Hot Tools. The curls last about 2 days (I think longer if I didn't wash my hair).


----------



## apple_28

azia said:


> Does anyone know a place in Toronto that does good digital perms? There are several Korean towns around here where there are a LOT of hair salons advertising perms but I don't really know which to go to!



On Yonge & Finch, there's this salon that does great digital perms. This girl in my class had hers done there. They're also known for haircuts. However, I recommend that you have long hair (like pass your shoulder) b/c they don't seem to know what to do with short hair. The salon is on Finch behind this bubble tea & food restaurant. I'm forgotting the name right now but it's fairly big and it's next or near to this Korean convenience store.


----------



## guccilove

jacdo said:


> where can you get a digital perm in san jose, ca or the bay area?


 
im wondering the same thing, so i went to yelp.com and typed in 'digital perm' (of course in the bay area) and it gave me a few places in San Francisco.  check it out.  

i haven't got my digital perm done yet, but i will.....eventually....in the next few months.....


----------



## jacdo

guccilove said:


> im wondering the same thing, so i went to yelp.com and typed in 'digital perm' (of course in the bay area) and it gave me a few places in San Francisco.  check it out.
> 
> i haven't got my digital perm done yet, but i will.....eventually....in the next few months.....



i JUST made an appointment at arty for tomorrow. i found it on yelp. i called them and the girl who picked up the phone gave me times and asked if i wanted anyone in particular. i told her it was my first time so...i still have no idea who i'm set up with. i hope it goes well. i'll let you know.

i figure, if they are the only ones who have a good looking website AND take credit cards, it can't be all that bad.


----------



## guccilove

jacdo said:


> i JUST made an appointment at arty for tomorrow. i found it on yelp. i called them and the girl who picked up the phone gave me times and asked if i wanted anyone in particular. i told her it was my first time so...i still have no idea who i'm set up with. i hope it goes well. i'll let you know.
> 
> i figure, if they are the only ones who have a good looking website AND take credit cards, it can't be all that bad.


 

o cool!!! will you update us on how it goes? is the appt just for a consult or the actual thing? sorry im so ignorant about these things.  this digital perm that i'm planning to have is going to be a first for me, so yeah...i might go to arty too!  Are you going to bring a picture ?


----------



## jacdo

guccilove said:


> o cool!!! will you update us on how it goes? is the appt just for a consult or the actual thing? sorry im so ignorant about these things.  this digital perm that i'm planning to have is going to be a first for me, so yeah...i might go to arty too!  Are you going to bring a picture ?




i'll keep you updated. i'm going to get it done. the whole sha-bang. i'll look for pictures...i just hope i find something that's "right."


----------



## momo43

jacdo said:


> i JUST made an appointment at arty for tomorrow. i found it on yelp. i called them and the girl who picked up the phone gave me times and asked if i wanted anyone in particular. i told her it was my first time so...i still have no idea who i'm set up with. i hope it goes well. i'll let you know.
> 
> i figure, if they are the only ones who have a good looking website AND take credit cards, it can't be all that bad.


 
arty is great! i used to go there when i still lived close by (before they changed their name to arty). they really know how to cut asian hair. 

make sure to check out the massive number of hair mags they have in the sitting area for ideas!


----------



## monogram

you guys got me super excited on getting a dig perm too.  My hair is a bit pass my bra line, is that long enough?  Also, I have super straight hair, will the perm keeps its shape?  Can I just wash my hair blow dry and go or it needs major maintenance?  I had my hair perm once when I was 14 and it was a nightmare.  But this dig perm got me thinking about it again


----------



## jacdo

so i just got back from my appt at arty in san francisco. i had mickey. she did a small cut and a digital perm. all in all, i like it. if you're considering a perm, go for it! i'll try to post pictures when i get a chance.


----------



## guccilove

jacdo said:


> so i just got back from my appt at arty in san francisco. i had mickey. she did a small cut and a digital perm. all in all, i like it. if you're considering a perm, go for it! i'll try to post pictures when i get a chance.


 

oh please yes i'd (and im sure im not the only one!) love to see it!! pls post pics when you can!! i'll be waiting! =)


----------



## BagsRmyLife

Post pics!! I wanna see! I've been wanting seixe Giselle waves for so long now!


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## jacdo

here's a picture of my digital perm. i got it done this tuesday and took this picture on friday. i've washed it twice now. this is how my hair looks after i just use bumble and bumble curl conscious shampoo, conditioner, and creme. i then used my fingers to twirl my hair. i scrunched it too and let it air dry.

if you're in the bay area, i'd try arty in san francisco off of post. it's nice and spacious. the people there are nice. not to mention, they all speak english there. it's a bit pricey but, i don't think i'd want to spend so little as 10 dollars on a perm.


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## jacdo

oh! if you'd like to read my review on arty, go here... http://www.yelp.com/biz/arty-san-francisco#hrid:QTIjrtJbgOQ5o2dTcyNdvg


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## flyingkitten

I am Asian and I got a perm in May, 2007.  I was really nervous at first because of all the horrific stories that I had heard.  My friend is a hairdresser and she thought that it would look good on me so away we went!

BEFORE:






AFTER: 





Since that photo, I've had it cut again and it reactivated my perm, so it's much more fuller again.  But I've gotten many compliments on it (to my relief).  I'm not sure if I'm going to re-perm right away, but I was definitely happy with the end results!

My hair is thick but otherwise pretty healthy.  I use Aveda Be Curly cream/control product on my hair and Schwartzkopf Shampoo/Conditioner.


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## guccilove

jacdo said:


> here's a picture of my digital perm. i got it done this tuesday and took this picture on friday. i've washed it twice now. this is how my hair looks after i just use bumble and bumble curl conscious shampoo, conditioner, and creme. i then used my fingers to twirl my hair. i scrunched it too and let it air dry.
> 
> if you're in the bay area, i'd try arty in san francisco off of post. it's nice and spacious. the people there are nice. not to mention, they all speak english there. it's a bit pricey but, i don't think i'd want to spend so little as 10 dollars on a perm.


 


thanks for sharing this jacdo!!! you look great with your digital perm! now i dont feel too nervous about it as much.  if you don't mind my asking, how much did your digital perm cost? and do you happen to know what size roller was used?  sorry if im asking too much details, i guess i just want to have a bit of an idea so that when i go, i won't be rushed to pick which size roller to use as i might end up picking the wrong one.  i've decided im going to go with arty for my digital perm.


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## jacdo

guccilove said:


> thanks for sharing this jacdo!!! you look great with your digital perm! now i dont feel too nervous about it as much.  if you don't mind my asking, how much did your digital perm cost? and do you happen to know what size roller was used?  sorry if im asking too much details, i guess i just want to have a bit of an idea so that when i go, i won't be rushed to pick which size roller to use as i might end up picking the wrong one.  i've decided im going to go with arty for my digital perm.




the cost was 200. it includes cut and perm. the curler size? well, i'm not too sure. they looked kinda small. not like skinny skinny but just smaller than a medium. if that makes sense...


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## Classic Chic

can anyone recommend a good place for digital perm in San Antonio, Austin, Houston area?


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## Classic Chic

*bump* :shame:


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## luxegirl

I just got a setting perm this weekend and my hair has been crazy frizzy!  Can anyone who has a setting perm recommend a routine to tame the friziness..ie: what shampoo and conditioner do you use and how do you blow dry your hair and with what product?  TIA!


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## letsgo

luxegirl said:


> I just got a setting perm this weekend and my hair has been crazy frizzy!  Can anyone who has a setting perm recommend a routine to tame the friziness..ie: what shampoo and conditioner do you use and how do you blow dry your hair and with what product?  TIA!



This is what my hairstylist taught me (when I got it done in Hong Kong): After you shower, blow dry it and make sure its damp. Split your hair in in fourths (like youre going to do braids), and twist them...so for both sides, twist them toward your face--left side=twist right, right side=twist left. If you have a curl enhancing serum or lotion, put it in while you are twisting it. Take one of the four twists in your palm and bring it up (so the curls sit in your hand) and blow dry each of the four sections. You can also use a diffuser by placing the twisted hair on it and constantly twist it and loosen up the hair while drying. Do this until your hair is dry, and lightly shake up your hair 

Sorry if it sounds confusing, but thats the way I've been taught (and have been doing it) and it works like a charm!  Ask me if you're still confused!

I've found that my hair became frizzy when you brush it after it's dried and used no hair products..just my experience 


Oh! and sorry I havent responded to the posts from last year, I totally forgot about this sub-forum! (I posted pictures on page 5 of my perm.) Unfortunately, I got my perm in Hong Kong (where else better, right?), and that's where I learned how to dry my hair, hopefully it helps!


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## BagsRmyLife

Jacdo your hair looks cute!!

Is there a level of curl that you can have on your perm?


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## ~KT~

IntlSet said:


> They have some kind of special perm that gives big loose waves. It's not like a chemical perm, it has its own special name... bah! Memory is shot. I'll recall it in a little while.



My mom used to do that to herself once every few months if my memory serves me right. I remember her telling me that it helped to make the natural waves in her hair more uniform.I just remember it stunk.


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## jacdo

BagsRmyLife said:


> Jacdo your hair looks cute!!
> 
> Is there a level of curl that you can have on your perm?




i think the girl who did my hair put smaller rods in my hair to make the wave tighter. it looked like my hair was going to be really curly when she first took it out but it ended up loosening up.


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## jyc003

letsgo said:


> Ha! decided since I had nothing better to do, might as well post hte pictures now.. lol
> 
> this is what it looks like when I was getting it done..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3+months later... how I look  RIGHT NOW (I took this just for you! )--after taking a 4 hr nap and being out the entire hot/sweaty day!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hair's grown out a small tad, but when they permed it, they permed it to about my eyes/top of my ears. It's 2am here and the permed hair looks better than it would if it was just straight!




wow your hair is BEAUTIFUL!  could you please tell me where you got it done?  what kind of perm is it?  that's exactly what ive been wanting, but im so scared to get it permed!  (ive had straight hair my entire life :[  )


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## iluvapples123

i've been wanting a perm for so long..i think i might just go for it..it's funny the asian girls want curly hair and the white girls are always straightening their hair..haha. the grass is always greener on the other side.


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## chynaxdawl

after seeing this thread, i really am considering getting a digital perm but i am really worried it will damage my hair.  i heard that it messes up your hair, even after the perm is long gone...is that true...?

also, my hair's on the short/medium side so i think i'd have to grow it out a long time (and wait a long time ) before i can even get it permed...what's a good length to do it? like chest level?


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## jyc003

iluvapples123 said:


> i've been wanting a perm for so long..i think i might just go for it..it's funny the asian girls want curly hair and the white girls are always straightening their hair..haha. the grass is always greener on the other side.



that is sooo true!


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## aantonio

Where can i find a good place to do a digital perm? Ive been looking around my area-i live in san diego-and i cant seem to find a place that offers it =( i really want to get it done! but the most i can find are places that do body waves..Also is the digital perm the same as the ceramic perm?? or are the two different?


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## aantonio

that looks so pretty!! how much did it cost and where did u get it done? do i need to find a particular kind of stylist to do it?


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## bebemui

hey everyone, new member here. I know this thread's like dead already..but
I wanna share my experience lol ~

I just got a digital perm this past Wednesday and when I came out of the salon, it looked so curly and poofy . I originally came in the salon with long hair like a few inches passed my boobs  and the lady had to cut off 3-4 inches 'cause the ends of my hair were super damaged (due to straightening and dying). So now my hair's a bit short and even shorter due to the small curls..but the past 2 days after I got it done, the curls seem to loosen up and  am hoping it will loosen up even more after I wash my hair lol.

Btw, *letsgo* and *jacdo*: your hair looks amazing!!~


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## jacdo

bebemui said:


> hey everyone, new member here. I know this thread's like dead already..but
> I wanna share my experience lol ~
> 
> I just got a digital perm this past Wednesday and when I came out of the salon, it looked so curly and poofy . I originally came in the salon with long hair like a few inches passed my boobs  and the lady had to cut off 3-4 inches 'cause the ends of my hair were super damaged (due to straightening and dying). So now my hair's a bit short and even shorter due to the small curls..but the past 2 days after I got it done, the curls seem to loosen up and  am hoping it will loosen up even more after I wash my hair lol.
> 
> Btw, *letsgo* and *jacdo*: your hair looks amazing!!~




thanks!!! show pictures of yours!!!


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## tengteng88

lelzkewl said:


> I am asian and I just got a digital perm (at a Korean salon) about 4 weeks ago. I'm LOVING it and didn't regret getting it done. I got many compliments too =).. big change to my blah straight hair. My hair got a little drier from it thou, but not too bad! The maintenance is really simple, I just wash my hair every other day, put hair lotion and some Redken product, srunch it and ready to go! My hair look dressy all the time... even when I don't have any make up on. LOL. So, if you want to get perm, I'd say go for it!


 

I was wondering where you got it done exactly...there are so many korean salons...I live in SD too and cannot wait to get the digital perm!

Thanks so much!


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## Chipper

Just bumping this up for San Diego ladies...has anyone found a salon they would recommend?  TIA

I've had the same hair for years and feel a bit drab!  I'd like to feel  again!


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## Chipper

:tumbleweed:


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## lisayamani

Okay, so I wanted body waves and I just got a hair perm.  I know I'm not supposed to wash it for 48 hours, but it's getting frizzy now (it's about 10 hours post perm) and I'm wondering if I can put product or even just a little bit water to calm it down?

What about putting it up in a hair clip or pony tail until the 48 hours is up. 

Anyone know if these things are okay?


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## girlygirl3

You can clip your hair up.  You probably can put in a little anti-frizz product to calm it down, not too much, maybe just at the ends.


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## bisousx

can anyone recommend or PM me the name of a great salon in California? anywhere, norcal or socal, is fine!

I want to do a consultation as soon as I'm back in town...


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## bisousx

p.s. ladies with the digital perms, do you blowdry your hair after you shampoo? I'm reading some posts about just putting product in and scrunching, but I don't think I'd be comfortable doing just that. who knows, maybe the perm is that amazing I wouldn't have to blowdry


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## luxurylovergirl

If you blow-dry permed hair, you should use a diffuser attachment on a medium setting - after the initial 48 hours of receiving the perm. Maybe leave hair a tiny bit damp, use some gloss etc. and scrunch. Avoid over-drying which could loosen the curl, causing you to re-dampen your hair and re-style etc.


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## shopgirl1010

Any good salons in Seattle/Tacoma area?

I got a wavy perm in Korea which came out perfectly! It looks really loose thick wavy curls, the way it looks after a few months of getting it done.

I really want to get it done again, but need recommendations. Thanks!


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## xlana

Bumping this thread because I decided to take a big chance and get a perm...

So yeah, I kind of regret getting the perm now. I wanted Victoria Beckham's new soft wavy bob. My hair was already a "grown out" bob so I had enough length to get a wavy bob and still have it the length I wanted. The result from the salon wasn't what I expected...my hair is "curly" and not wavy, and it's only curly on the bottom...I wanted texture hence a body wave, and the stylist assured me it would loosen up and "eventually" be a softer wave. It's the first day, so I haven't even washed it yet. My hair before was fine and straight (I'm Asian), and now it's poofy and not at all like VB's hair...

I guess my question is will my hair loosen up after the first few washes? It looks far from what I wanted right now, but I'm really hoping if I wash it and condition it like no other it will loosen up, and perhaps I can get it recut by my trusted stylist (who I now regret not going to but she's in so cal and I'm in nor cal hence the choice to get it cut up here) because I think the stylist butchered the back of the bob. The curls right now are only curly on the bottom of the hair, but not so much the top....any experience with this?? I'm thinking that since it's only curly on the bottom, I could grow it out for a couple months and then get the ends cut by my usual stylist...but until then I'm hoping the curls will at least loosen up a bit so it's somewhat an echo of VB's hair.


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## pinkboudoir

Yes permed hair will loosen with a few wash. If you use heavier conditioner meant for straight hair, they tend to loosen even faster IMO. Give yourself a few days & a few wash, you might end up liking your curls. But it would be quite an experience managing it the next few days IMO.


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## xlana

UPDATE

This is the second morning, and I woke up with...NO CURLS. I'm serious, the curls got so loose overnight that they basically are nonexistent...I am super upset right now because this is CLEARLY a perm gone wrong. Now I have to go to work, and my hair is up in a ponytail which I NEVER do unless it's a hair emergency. Now I can also see the "cut" that she did and it is HORRIBLE. Not at ALL like the elegant bobs I'm used to getting. Needless to say, I will have to get this fixed ASAP, but I don't know if it can be repaired or not. I'm just hoping my stylist will be able to fix this by cutting of the dead curls...super upsetting...I am NEVER getting a perm again unless I know for sure it's done by somebody who KNOWS ASIAN HAIR. Until then, I will have to put hot oil in my hair to soothe the dead ends I have. I used to have gorgeous silky hair, now my ends are dead and dry...


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## janethepain

I just got my hair digital-permed a week ago, and it's still really curly (as in Curly Sue-curly).  When I first left the salon, my hair was really nice, big long ringlets.  What I wanted was BIG round ringlet/curls, but my hair still has a long way to go in terms of loosening up... It's been a week, please tell me it does some more loosening!  I'm confident my stylist knows what she's doing, but I didn't expect my hair to take to it so strongly!

I've tried everything in this past week, from using two products and blow drying lightly to using no products and air-drying (today).  While the curls aren't as strong as they were after the first time I washed, they're still really damn curly.  I hope it loosens up soon!


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## luvhautecouture

^^  Janethepain-- I like your "curly sue" reference!  I know the actress who played curly sue!

I think it'll loosen up more.  Mine definitely did!  Just wait it out


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## lisalovesshoes

*janethepain*.. Yes! It takes awhile for permed curls to loosen up.. but don't worry it soon will! Mine normally takes about 2-3 weeks to settle to what I want it to look like.. Otherwise, next time you get it re-done ask for bigger curlers!

I can't do digital perm, my hair won't hold the curl for some odd reason! Anyone with the same problem??


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## lovelypinkx

usually if you do the perm and it doesn't come out, it means either the stylist did it wrong or your hair is too damaged. I'm an asian girl that dyed her hair and got magic straight for years and finally got tired of it and went for setting perm, went back to magic straight and recently went back to doing a setting perm.the last time I got the setting perm, it didn't come out well. I went to get it fixed and it still didn't come out. I know this stylist knows how to do it bc he's done it for me before and it came out perfectly. He told me my hair was too damaged and it's true. Even with me getting my hair cuts. Considering you colored ur hair almost a blonde color, I suggest you wait for your hair to recover bc it will get damaged from the chemicals. I never really understood the extent of how much your hair handle. My waves came out but I have to twist my hair tight to get better curls out of it. Gotta take care of your hair!


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## janethepain

Phew, thanks guys, good to know that it even takes 2-3 weeks!  I kept reading about perms that loosened up over 1 week so I started to worry.  Can't wait for it to settle the hell down!

The stylist used 22-gauge (or whatever measurement it's in) rollers on me.  I had wanted very big loose ringlets and when I showed her photos of what I wanted, she said that look would fall right out and you had to go a bit tighter (probably true).  I read on another forum about someone who first had 26-gauge rollers in her hair and it fell out.

If anyone lives in NYC, I'd recommend Oz Hair in k-town for a digi perm.


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## xlana

Just an update in case anyone is curious...

I washed my hair for the first time since getting a perm yesterday, and the curls came back. I am happy to say that I am happy with the texture of the perm, but the cut is still all wrong. But I think with the perm I can finally get the look I really wanted in the first place.

I'm very surprised that after washing my hair it came back to life. It feels much better today than it did yesterday. It even got oily on the second day that I didn't wash it, and that's a good sign because that means my hair is soaking up the natural oils (sounds gross I know, but to me it was a sign that my hair was not going to be dry).


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## luvhautecouture

xlana- from my experience, the perm comes back after being washed.  If I don't wash my hair for a day or two, my hair is pretty straight.  Once I take a shower, it bounces back into curls


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## xlana

^^
Lol, I was freaking out for the first two days because this is my first time ever getting a perm. I didn't know that washing it would bring the curls back to life. My hair feels better and better everyday. It feels almost like it used to be, except it's not as shiny anymore. I am putting leave in conditioner every night though, because I know my hair will tend to be drier than it used to.

Question though..how long will the "perm" smell in my hair linger? It's been three days, and I still smell it when I wash it.


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## lavidacampus

xlana said:


> Question though..how long will the "perm" smell in my hair linger? It's been three days, and I still smell it when I wash it.




It usually lasts about a week for me. I would suggest not shampooing too rigorously within that first week to prevent too much loosening of the curls. There was one time I thought it came out too curly so I shampooed on the second day and a week later I found the curls to be way too loose.

I've had perms done both at home and the salon, and I love it! I just buy the at home Oglivie and have my mom do it.


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## luvhautecouture

xlana said:


> ^^
> Lol, I was freaking out for the first two days because this is my first time ever getting a perm. I didn't know that washing it would bring the curls back to life. My hair feels better and better everyday. It feels almost like it used to be, except it's not as shiny anymore. I am putting leave in conditioner every night though, because I know my hair will tend to be drier than it used to.
> 
> Question though..how long will the "perm" smell in my hair linger? It's been three days, and I still smell it when I wash it.




OMG i have had the perm smell last for 2 weeks.  It was AWFUL & I wanted to die!  But after that it went away.  I noticed that the type of water you have affects the smell.  When I washed my hair at my mom's house, the smell was horrible.  At my apartment, not as bad!


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## janethepain

I still smell the perm when my hair's wet, and it's been 1.5 weeks already.


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## janethepain

Update: it's been 2.5 weeks and it's still curlier than I expected.  It looks like I have naturally curly hair, which I don't want.  I do the twirly thing after I get out of the shower, etc. but the curls keep separating and doing their own thing ---> big curly hair.  eeeeep!  at least the smell's gone, but I just don't look good!


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## chynaxdawl

^^ have you been using a curl/styling/texturizing cream of some sort when you're twirling? that may help it from separating and frizzing out.


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## Crazyaboutbag

Any good place to do digital perm in Aurora Denver? thanks.


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## ahwin

i've never had a perm in my life. i'm tempted 

anyone know a good place in hk? there are soooooo many salons here. i just dont know which one to go to..


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## lvpiggy

ahwin said:


> i've never had a perm in my life. i'm tempted
> 
> anyone know a good place in hk? there are soooooo many salons here. i just dont know which one to go to..



make sure you really, really think about it . . . I've never done it, but I have friends who have, and say their hair never was the same afterwards, even the new growth was a different texture (>(oo)<)`


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## Purse=Heaven

is a digital perm and "permanent waves" the same thing?  i'm set on getting waves this week and hope that it goes as well as the digital perm has for everyone else


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## ellie77

hi, anyone can recommend a good place to get a digital perm in singapore? and im just really wondering if a digital perm is right for me. i have oval shaped face. im singapore chinese girl. been away for too long. miss home and really looking forward to going home. any singapore girls out there? help...


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## fongchau

Bumping this old thread. Any one know anywhere good for a digital perm in London? I have very thick and very straight hair and really don't want to spend lots of money to have it just fall out


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## Sassydarlings

chako012 said:


> I did mine about a year and a half ago, and my hair is still a bit wavy. It damaged it yes, but it looked awesome !!! If you check out my blog, you can see what it looks like now 1.5 years after. My hair is originally not dead straight to begin with though, and I did a digital perm in taiwan.


  most of the comments scared me on getting a perm.. do you which one is better? wave or digital?.. i already got my hair permed last year, not digital...and i want to get another one this year,..


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## chako012

Sassydarlings said:


> most of the comments scared me on getting a perm.. do you which one is better? wave or digital?.. i already got my hair permed last year, not digital...and i want to get another one this year,..



I think digital is gentler on the hair! I suggest if you like the loose waves to get bigger curls done. It might fall out easier but at least you don't look like a poodle with smaller waves. Also make sure you grow your hair out to a decent length, the curls take out a lot of length from your hair so even if you have long hair you might end up with shoulder length curls!

It's still nice 2 years later I think, this is what it looks like after I leave it in a bun for half a day. (scroll down)

and this is what it does naturally. I got biggish curls done and pretty happy with it !!

Go for it!! (please don't perm bleached hair though unless you are willing to sacrifice hair quality - I did  but its so dead now)


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## Sassydarlings

chako012 said:


> I think digital is gentler on the hair! I suggest if you like the loose waves to get bigger curls done. It might fall out easier but at least you don't look like a poodle with smaller waves. Also make sure you grow your hair out to a decent length, the curls take out a lot of length from your hair so even if you have long hair you might end up with shoulder length curls!
> 
> It's still nice 2 years later I think, this is what it looks like after I leave it in a bun for half a day. (scroll down)
> 
> and this is what it does naturally. I got biggish curls done and pretty happy with it !!
> 
> Go for it!! (please don't perm bleached hair though unless you are willing to sacrifice hair quality - I did  but its so dead now)



loose waves.. your hair is pretty!. mine is a little bit longer than that..i think my hair is waist line long.. i think i'd be getting it by tomorrow. thanks for your advice.


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## chako012

Sassydarlings said:


> loose waves.. your hair is pretty!. mine is a little bit longer than that..i think my hair is waist line long.. i think i'd be getting it by tomorrow. thanks for your advice.



no problem ! Best of luck!! and show us after you get it done


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