Perming is a chemical process that is performed on the hair to make it curly. Perms wrap hair in a variety of different-sized rollers. The different sizes of the rod rollers are what determines the size of the curl. Big rollers will give the hair big loose curls, and small rollers will give the hair tight spiral curls. When you get a perm you have to follow specific directions on how to manage it and even when to wash it.

To prepare hair for a perm, you should wash and condition it with a protein-enriched product. However, you should not deep-condition your hair before getting a perm, because it may hinder the hair's ability to take to the perming solution. Perms are permanent and last until the hair grows out and all the permed hair is cut off. However, many people get their roots repermed every three to five months. You are taking chances when you get a perm, as you hair may never be the same and may not even turn out like you had thought. Getting a perm can take anywhere from one to two hours. However, it may take longer if your hair is really long.

Hair needs usually 28 hours to set after a perm. But, to make sure that the hair takes to the perm, do not wash permed hair for 48 hours after the procedure. The hair should not even get wet for 48 hours either because it rinses out the perming solution, so avoid getting caught in the rain. After you receive a perm, it is very important that you treat your hair with extra care. You should use ammonium-based shampoo and conditioning products that are specially designed for permed hair. You should also avoid blow drying your hair as it can cause further damage and dry it out even more. Air drying hair or towel drying hair is much better for it then blow drying. But, if it is absolutely necessary to blow dry hair, you should use a diffuser on the end of the blow dryer to spread out the air flow. Always try to use leave-in conditioner or detangling conditioner, and finger-comb hair. You should finger-comb hair until it dries a little bit and you can then use a pick or a wide-toothed comb to get the tangles out. Using an anti-frizz hair serum along with shine spray is a great way to add shine to your permed hair to keep it from looking dull.