Okay, so here is my question:
When I was 9 I got my first spiral perm (I had loads of hair down to my butt). My daughter, who will be 10 soon has the same mane of hair but it is even THICKER. The problem is that she has trouble caring for it straight because the underside of her hair is actually very wavy. I have had many perms because I found it easier to care for. I have gotten mixed messages about her having a perm at 10. Any hairdressers out there? I don't really believe in the "she hasn't had her period yet so the hormones will not let it take" since I had my perm WAAAYYYY before my period (didn't get AF until 19!). She DOES want her hair in curls.
Really want her mane permed for easier care. HELP!
EDIT: I should add that her hair curls magnificently if I put it in foam rollers, but I think it is annoying to sleep in them.
Kalli just got her perm and it is BEAUTIFUL! She is so very happy with it! Love it! Thanks for all the advice!
My 8 year old daughter got one. It was beautiful. She started a fad in second grade. Now there are a bunch of beautifully permed 2nd and 3rd graders. They all even went to the same beautician! She is such a trend setter!
I have naturally curly hair and always would prefer it straight so it's a little hard for me to see the other side ie that someone else WANTS curly hair. Although when I was young in the 80s it was all the rage.
Anyway, I would ask a couple of questions. You don't mention what she thinks - does SHE want a perm? If not, I would drop it, I don't think that you should force her to do something like that if she's not on board.
I don't see how there's a connection between puberty and perming - the mechanism (how the "perm works") has nothing to do with hormones. It's a reducing agent, that breaks the chemical bonds in the protein in your hair (that's what smells so bad) and then you put on the curlers and when you remove the reducing agent the bonds reform but the hair stays the way it was (ie around the curlers). SO I don' t see how her hormonal status has anything to do with it. I
However, I can see why a hairdresser might balk at giving such a young girl such a harsh chemical treatment. It is a bit harsh, and nearly impossible to relax so if it doesn't come out well or she hates it you are stick with it (or a very short cut) for awhile.
Good luck!
I'm not sure where you live but if you are in the Boston area there is a stylist I use who specializes in curly hair. I have straight hair, so she is well versed at all hair.
Mindy Cooper - Freestyle Hair - ###-###-#### her space is in Watertown square.
If you're not in this area, you should go to a consultation for a curly hair specialist http://www.ouidad.com to find a stylist. Your daughter probably needs a special cut to help bring out her natural wavy hair quality, also you should discuss the maintenance issues with the possibility of a perm. Start with the consult first so you don't spend money and time on a perm that might be the worst thing for her hair. She might just need layers worked in. Let the pro's decide!
good luck!
You might want to look into having it thinned out a little. That would make it easier to care for, especially if it's really thick. They hairdresser uses a special kind of scissors to do the thinning.
I had perms when I was a kid. I never had any problems with them taking. My hair is stick straight and really thin though.
The only problem I can think of is that the weight of her hair might pull the perm straight. I know several people that has happened too.
I think Starr had a good idea of testing a section to see if it would work.
And there is no way that getting her a perm now is going to damage her hair for the rest of her life. You would just have to be prepared for the fact that it might damage the hair she has now, resulting in a hair cut or deep conditioning treatments.
Hey! I grew up in Buzzards Bay, Ma!! Is Nick's Pizza still in business??
Okay, about the perm. I am by no means a hair dresser. But, I can't see what the big deal would be. Just be prepared in case something did go wrong and her beautiful long hair needed to be cut. If this is going to help her care for her hair, then it seems to be the way to go.
I know I was about 10 or 12 when I got my first perm. I loved it, and if that's what your daughter wants, I say go for it!
I don't know about the "before your period" thing - never heard of that :) However, I can share with you my experience. I also had spiral perms when I was younger up until I was in my 20's. I had very long hair, but it wasn't terribly thick. When my now 20 yr old was younger, she wanted a spiral. She has amazingly thick hair! Also, she has a bit of a natural wave to it. I didn't want to do the perm until we tested a chunk - mostly because I was afraid with the natural wave that she would end up looking like a poodle if we left the solution on for any length of time. My girlfriend is a hairdresser so I had her "test" it. No matter how long we left the solution on for, it simply wouldn't take. Seriously, it was like a joke after the 3rd or 4th try! Her hair just did not like the solution, I guess.
Maybe try to get her hair "tested" to see if it would even work out for her? A good salon would do it, I'm sure.
Good luck!
I say go for it- if you want it and she wants it and it will make life easier, especially for the summer!!
I also have thick hair that curls VERY well, no matter how I curl it, although it is almost completely straight when left alone. And I did have perms off and on as a young teen and adult. MY only issue was that because my hair took the perms so well, they never really relaxed on their own and so I would be left with curly hair on the bottome while my roots grew out straight! I have always known that to "get the perm out" I have to cut my hair, or have it re-permed when the roots get noticeable. Since you say her hair curls so well, I thought I would just pass that along...
GOOD LUCK!!
AAwww...let her do it! It is sooo exciting to be a kid and get a new hairstyle! If it doesn't work out it will grow out. I have really thick hair too. A spiral perm wasn't possible for my hair because of weight and length. What I did was got a root perm and a body wave. It was gorgeous! There was so much hair and so many rollers when she washed out the solution I couldn't pick my head up from the sink on my own! LOL! Be prepared though it would take 2 hours to double roll everything...so it is a longer process. Good Luck! Please update and let us know how it turns out!
I'll tell ya I wish I hadn't gotten mine when I was in middle school. Now at 33 my hair is still not the same. I've never dyed my hair but that perm , and because my hair is so think 2 bottles of perm solution had to be used , damaged my hair so badly I am still regretting it. I wish my mom had said no.
Her hair being so think you might want to think twice about it b/c it is likely they will have to use more chemicals than normal on her hair. I'm not sure where you are getting that perming it will make it easier to care for.
