| Want to give a new style to your healthy hair? | | | | under the cuticle and into the cortex. The alkaline |
| Dreaming of those fashion curls to adore a new | | | | lotion reacts with the keratin of the cortex, |
| look? Here you are. When the world is busy | | | | breaking some of the disulphide cross-links within |
| looking for grey hair treatment, dandruff cure and | | | | and between the protein chains. The solution |
| hair loss treatment, there are many of us with | | | | creates a chemical action that softens the inner |
| beautiful and luscious hair and who want to give | | | | structure of the hair so that it can stretch to |
| their hair a new style. Perming facilitates giving | | | | take any form. |
| tight curls to the hair and a style that goes with | | | | The success of the entire process depends upon |
| your face. If you wish to go in for a hairstyle that | | | | the right selection of the perm rod. Spiral and |
| would look better with a hint of curl, hair perms | | | | concave rods should be avoided in perming as |
| are here to help - create the hairstyle you wish, | | | | spiral wrapped hair creates a looser curl while |
| be it big natural curls or tight spiral curls. | | | | concave rods make it impossible to wrap the hair |
| The key to the perming process lies in the fact | | | | without peaking the ends. A straight or cylindrical |
| that perming solution is alkaline. When scientists | | | | type rod should ideally be used for the most |
| talk to each other about alkaline solutions and acid | | | | natural wave pattern as it can be wrapped with |
| solutions, they need a way of measuring alkalinity | | | | the hair strands of the same width from the scalp |
| and acidity. The scale they use for their | | | | to the ends. It prevents spiraling and bunching of |
| measurements is called the pH scale. The pH scale | | | | the hair that may distort the wave pattern. |
| ranges from pH 1 to pH 14. All you need to | | | | The hair molds around the shape of the perm rod. |
| remember is that acids have pH numbers less | | | | After a specified period of time, the hair is rinsed |
| than 7. Alkalis have pH numbers greater than 7. | | | | and a neutralizer is applied. It is the neutralizing |
| The more acid the solution, the lower is the pH | | | | solution that reforms the disulfide bonds of the |
| number; the more alkaline the solution, the | | | | hair and sets the new curls in the final stage. |
| greater the pH number. Hair responds to changes | | | | Utmost care should be taken during the final |
| in pH. If a hair is placed in an alkaline solution it | | | | stage as failure to rinse and neutralize properly |
| swells, and the scales of the cuticle lift. In a slightly | | | | can lead to many problems, including scalp |
| acid solution, the scales lie smoothly and the hair is | | | | irritation, dandruff and damage to the structure of |
| soft. In a strongly acid or alkaline solution, | | | | the hair shaft. |
| however, the keratin protein starts to break | | | | Discuss the style with your hairstylist before the |
| down, which may lead to hair loss. | | | | perm procedure. The perm hairstyle must be |
| During perming, chemicals are used to break and | | | | chosen to suit your face shape. If you have a |
| reform the disulfide bonds of the hair. Thereafter, | | | | long face, the perm must be worked to ensure |
| the hair is washed and wrapped on a perm rod | | | | volume on the side but never on the top. Some |
| and waving lotion is applied with a base. As the | | | | women try out spiral curls with curling irons at |
| lotion is alkaline (pH about 9), the scales of the | | | | home. Test curls must always be carried out |
| cuticle open slightly, allowing the lotion to flow | | | | before going for the process completely. |