Do perms cause hair loss and hair damage? 2022 Best Hair Care Guide

Yes, it can. A perm is a drying process chemically reordered to change the wave pattern. It can cause hair loss if the solution is not patch tested on your skin to see if it will be healthy on your hair.

If you have fine or thin hair, damaged, heavily colored, continuous dye, previously permed or bleached or dyed hair, or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in the perm solution, you are more prone to the damage caused by perm. The process can cause strands to break, resulting in hair thinning or bald areas. However, the good news is that hair loss like this is only temporary, and new strands will regrow over time.

What causes hair loss after a perm?

• Incorrectly done
• Misuse of chemicals
• Thinning
• Poor aftercare
• Untrained stylist

• Perm Incorrectly done

The chemicals used on your hair are strong. When you perm your hair, chemical bonds are broken and rebuilt. Since perm is a drying process, it can impair the strength of your hair. 

You will experience hair loss if you perm often or your stylist does not correctly do your perm. 

Also, if you purchase the perm kits from a store and perm your hair yourself but do it poorly or leave the solution for too long on your hair, it will make your hair fragile and thin, thereby causing it to break.

A poorly executed perm will, over time, cause hair loss; it is the most common type of hair loss after a perm. If it is a temporary hair loss, the good thing is that your hair will grow back over time. 

• Misuse of Chemicals

If the chemicals are overused or not appropriately mixed, you can permanently destroy your hair follicle. Your hair follicle can also damage if the chemical is applied on an undernourished scalp or a scalp with injuries. It will result in a further scar. 

If the chemical and heat used for the perm burn your scalp, it will result in bad spots. It will make your hair start falling out of the root. It will not grow back since your hair follicle has been damaged permanently. That means you have automatically gone bald.

Hence, ensure your scalp is very healthy to prevent inflammations and injuries. Also, don’t brush your hair or scratch your head before applying a perm. 

• Hair Thinning

Thin hair damages easily. Applying perm solution to thin hair or damaged follicles can cause hair loss and baldness. Although perms make thin and lifeless hair appear thicker, add curls, aid styling, lessen pain during the perm, they often result in breakage. 

Perming thin hair requires special care. It would be best if you used a gentle perm solution. 

Your hairstylist can use large perm rods to lessen any pressure and breakage possibility. Also, it will be best to use alkaline perms for thin and fine hair; it is pretty safe.

• Poor aftercare

If you don’t take proper care of your perm or treat it gently, it will harm your hair. After a perm, it would be best to restore your hair’s natural oils and proteins by applying a good conditioner. You can deep condition your hair regularly to avert breakage. 

Also, shun blow dryers and other heat styling products. Take proper care of your hair, let only professionals treat it, keep it in the best condition, and you will experience healthy hair.

• Untrained stylist

Let your perm be handled by a professional hairstylist and not an unprofessional hairstylist. Don’t endanger the health of your scalp.

Before you perm your hair, patch test a small area of your skin that may be near the ear or a little on the scalp. If you react to the perm chemical, that means you are allergic to it. 

Is the hair loss after a perm coincidental?

There is a possibility that the timing of your perm coincided with your hair loss. Your hair loss could be due to another reason; it could be genetic. It could be hereditary balding. It could be a result of hair trauma. You can see a hair professional who will determine your hair loss’s root cause and offer solutions. It is a treatable condition.

How to prevent hair loss after a perm?

• Listen to your stylist.
• Keep your hair moisturized.
• Healthy diet
• Heat exposure
• Avoid scratching or brushing your hair.
• Remove split ends
• Choose the right perm option
• Choose the right perm rod

Listen to your stylist.

Listen to your professional hairstylist on the type of product you should use before perming your hair. She is in the best position to tell you what will suit your hair type.

She will also be able to tell if you should go on with the perm after checking the condition of your hair and doing a patch test to ascertain if you are allergic to the product.

Keep your hair moisturized.

A perm is a drying process, so you need to constantly keep your hair hydrated even after a perm. Use light creams to help keep your hair moisturized and prevent breakage. It will make the weak hair fall out while strong hair will remain. 

You can also keep your hair healthy and hydrated with a moisturizing shampoo and a good conditioner. Also, massage your scalp with a leave-on conditioner. The conditioner will permeate the cuticle if under a hairdryer or direct sunlight. 

You can recover your hair’s natural moisture with coconut oil or olive oil.

If you use curling irons and blow dryers, ensure they are not at high temperatures. It would be best also to use a product that promotes hair growth. 

Healthy diet

Keep a healthy diet and take supplements rich in vitamins D, C, and A, zinc, iron, and fish oil. You can take a pumpkin, carrots, oranges, nuts, seafood, eggs, broccoli, spinach, and almonds.

Eating healthy and taking rich vitamins would make your hair follicles withstand breakage and help prevent hair loss.

It would be best if you didn’t smoke or drink. Sufficient sleep and exercise are also needed. 

Heat exposure

Avoid heat styling and hardening gels, as well as alcohol-based products. If there is any styling tool you want to use, ensure that the heat is not too much for your perm. It should be below 300 degrees to avoid chemical burns, which can occur if you have cuts or irritated areas on your scalp. 

Avoid scratching or brushing your hair.

Try not to scratch or brush your hair before a perm to prevent chemical burns and hair follicle damage.

Remove split ends

It would be best if you trim split ends. Trimming split ends will retain your hair’s moisture and prevent hair loss.

Choose the right perm option.

Consider the texture and length of your hair when choosing a perm style. Use an acid-balanced perm solution if your hair is thin, fragile, or heavily colored. Your thin or colored hair will suffer minor damage and be more manageable. The acid-balanced perm will boost curls as well as moisturize your hair. This type of perm needs a heat source such as exothermic heat or a hood dryer to permeate the hair shaft.

The perm solution for the acid balance perm will relax more quickly than an alkaline perm solution.

You can use the alkaline perm solution if you have hair that does not curl easily. The solution permeates the hair shaft and reshapes it faster than an acid-balance perm. It can hold a curl or wave for a more extended period. It takes a longer time to relax. 

Choose the right perm rod.

The perm rod size determines the size of the curl or wave. 

If you have long hair and want to create large curls and wavy perms, use large perm rods; it is the most useful in making lots of curls. 

You can use smaller perm rods to create tighter curls. The length and style of your hair usually determine which perm rod size to be used as shorter pieces of hair cannot be wound around a perm rod as many times as long hair. Consult your stylist to determine the best perm style for your hair length.

You should use the correct perm rod size for your perm to avoid hair damage. 

Watch Why Getting A Perm Might Cause Your Hair To Fall Out | Video

FAQ

Is it safe to perm thinning hair?

It is not advisable to perm thin hair because they damage easily. Applying perm solution to thin hair can cause hair loss and then baldness. 

No, it is not safe to perm thinning hair. Thin hair does not hold perms very well; it is resistant.

Can a perm cause permanent hair loss?

A perm is a drying process that is chemically reordered to change the wave pattern of your hair. It affects the quality of your hair. It should not cause permanent hair loss if done correctly. 

A permanent hair loss only happens if your hair follicles are damaged beyond repair.

Can you reverse a perm?

Yes, you can reverse a perm. You can use a curling iron or blow dryer to reverse your perm. You can also wash your hair with color-protecting shampoo and conditioner to cleanse and hydrate your hair. It will make the perm relax.

What causes men’s hair loss?

For most men, their hair loss is primarily associated with aging. If you are experiencing hair loss and you are pretty young, you can see a specialist so that she can examine the root cause of your hair loss.

Why is your perm falling out?

Since the chemical side bonds are permanently reconstructed during a perm, the new curls should last long if properly taken care of.

But if your perm is already falling out, there is a possibility that it is not adequately moisturized, conditioned, and taken care of.

What are the side effects of perming?

Some of the side effects of perming include split ends, breakage, and hair loss. A perm exposes your body to toxic chemicals. 

Does Hairmax Laser Comb help treat hair loss

The HairMax Laser Comb is very popular in the country. It helps in the treatment of hair loss. It is designed to permeate the hair follicles in the scalp, opening up potassium channels for the release of essential nutrients. It also helps hasten renewed hair growth by dividing the hair cells and storing adenosine three phosphates (ATP). 

When used alongside other proven hair loss treatments, it can foster new and thicker hair growth.

How often can you get a perm without damaging your hair?

For short to medium-length hair, the average period between perms is three to four months. Ensure your hair is trimmed two or three times within this period. 

Tips to note for avoiding hair loss before getting a perm?

• Ensure your scalp is healthy
• Do not brush your hair the day before you get a perm.
• Do not scratch your hair the day before you get a perm.
• Ensure that you do not have any cuts or irritated places on your scalp to prevent chemical burns. 
• Ensure your perm is carried out by a professional

Is there any center for hair loss treatment in the U.K.?

Yes, there is. The Belgravia Centre is famous for its hair loss treatment in the U.K. 

 

References

https://botoxcapilar.org/en/do-perms-damage-hair-or-cause-hair-loss

https://healthfully.com/what-are-the-causes-of-weak-hair-in-women-6301707.html

https://www.self.com/story/want-curls-with-less-damage-tr

https://oureverydaylife.com/how-to-decide-which-perm-is-best-for-you-12127137.html

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