The roots drop on the head and then they just have the wave at the ends. “I have clients with really long hair, and when their roots grow in, they like it even better. For short, often-cut hair, “they can last at least three to four months,” says Cole. After you get a perm, how long it lasts depends mainly on how long your hair is. “There are perms now that are structured so they can do both.” How long does a perm last?įirst and foremost, when you decide to get a perm, you should prepare to be at the salon for a t least two and a half hours. “If I use a perm for color-treated hair on virgin hair, it probably wouldn’t work,” Cole says. Everyone can get a perm, but if you have highlights or lightened hair, perms can get trickier. That’s not to say that all perms are the same.

“Doing your own perm could definitely cause damage,” Cole says, but “if you’re getting it done professionally, there should be no damage.”

There’s a preconception that perms will leave you with over-processed, damage-ridden tresses, but if it’s done correctly, a perm should leave you unscathed. Cole says that women today typically get perms to enhance their natural texture, whether that’s an S-pattern curl (think: taking your hair out of a braid) or an undone wave. These new techniques create different types of curls, from spiral coils to wavy hair. Traditionally, stylists use plastic perm rods all over a client’s head, but “when I’m doing perms today, instead of using a traditional perm rod, sometimes I use fabric, or you can do a finger wave, or rollers,” says Cole.

Loose spiral perm