Signs Of Damage From Perms

Despite your best efforts, perms sometimes go wrong.

By the simple nature of how they work, perms can cause damage. The way a permanent works is to chemically change the natural shape of the hair follicle. Any number of things can lead to damage, including an inexperienced hairdresser, incorrect chemical formulation, leaving the chemicals on for too long or fragile hair to begin with. Once damage has occurred, it is fairly easy to recognize the results.

Brittle Hair

If you have recently had a permanent applied and find that your hair is more brittle than usual, it is quite likely a sign of damage. The chemicals that were applied to change the shape of your hair has dried it out to the point of breakage. Hair that sounds "crispy" when scrunched up has usually become brittle.

Split Ends

While they're milder than they once were, the chemicals that are used in the permanent process are still strong enough to change the very fiber of your hair. If your hair was fragile to begin with, it is possible that you have developed breakage because of the process. When a hair strand breaks, a split end can occur.

Dull

Those natural oils that keep your hair looking shiny and bouncy can be stripped by the chemical process of permanents, leaving you with dull, lifeless hair.

Rough Texture

One thing many people complain about after receiving a permanent is the rough texture of their hair. That is because the very texture of your hair is what was altered in the permanent process. In order to "bend" your hair a new way, the original texture had to be broken and reformed. Add to that the fact that you now have less natural oil in your hair and the texture is likely to feel quite different.

Tangles

A new shape in the hair follicles often leads to tangling. Your hair has, literally, been chemically shaped into a new position, making it possible that hairs now run into each other and cross over one another.

Loss of Hair

Each scalp reacts differently to the chemicals used in permanents. While some people fly through the process, others experience burning, irritation and even hair loss. One person may lose an entire section of hair, while another simply finds that she's seeing more hair in the shower after shampooing.

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