Making Waves

Never thought there could be a perm for you? You might be surprised to learn that it's easy to find a style that will help you achieve the look you've always wanted.

- VANESSA CHIA

When we think of perms, we often picture tight spiral curls or loose beach waves, but there are more styles than the ones we might be familiar with.

From a spot or partial perm to create uniformity for those with natural curls, to baby hair contour perm to tame those pesky baby strands, we ask hair experts for insights on the different and lesser known perms that can help us achieve the hairstyle of our dreams.

A PERM IS NOT JUST ABOUT CREATING CURLY HAIR

Did you know that rebonding is also considered a type of perm? In fact, some salons call it "straight perm". After all, it technically uses the same method - combining a relaxer and heat-to reshape hair.

While perms have traditionally been associated with curls, these days, they can also be used to achieve other effects, such as adding body, volume or texture to hair, says Ted Kim, director of Korean hair salon Suchehwa by Ted.

"The concept of perming, short for permanent wave, involves chemically altering the structure of hair to create curls or waves that are set in place," he explains.

Kelly Chew, associate director of Chez Vous: Hideaway, says the reason why we often think of perms as only curls and waves is because the term "perm" was initially used to create hair texture.

"Perms typically involve the use of chemicals to break down hair's natural bonds and reshape them into the desired form," adds Wynn Chew, senior educator for Shiseido Professional.

And with advancement in techniques and technologies, Kelly reveals that some perm options today can be used to "press down pesky hair that is sticking out, or create a lift around the crown area".

7 LESSER-KNOWN PERMS TO TRY