Spiral Perm Dangers

Introduction - Spiral Perm Dangers

In a hair world where everything turns out as dreamed spiral perms produce a uniform array of cascading long ringlets which channel Julia Louis Dreyfus in NBC's Watching Ellie.  Or Taylor Swift in just about every music video.

Why was Julia Louis Dreyfus able to rock those long spiral shaped curls so easily?   Julia has naturally curly hair which is often more easily manipulated into long fat sausage style curls than hair which is naturally straight.   So does Taylor who is famous for her natural coils.

Hair which is ideal for creating long spirals or ringlets is usually medium thick naturally curly or wavy hair with lots of cuticle bend.

If you wish to duplicate Julia's long curls through chemical intervention please be aware of the many spiral perm dangers which occur more often than many people realize.

One of the biggest dangers in the hair world is deciding to have a chemical hair treatment performed on your hair without truly understanding the long term risks.   This is the case with spiral perms.  In fact, there is more risk with a spiral perm than any other type of chemical texturizer or perm.

Why?  If the hair being chemically treated to form long spirals is not the ideal type, texture and condition for a spiral perm, it could flop dramatically.  Also, if you don't find a great hairstylist with lots of spiral perm experience you might not get the desired results.

Unfortunately there's tons of misinformation about spiral perms on the Web which can lead unsuspecting spiral perm candidates down a path towards a long series of bad hair days.

Four Key Elements Necessary For A Successful Spiral Perm

To avoid spiral perm dangers it's best to have the following four key elements:

1.  Compatible Hair - The most compatible hair type, texture, length and condition.  If hair is not naturally curly or wavy, it might be hard to sustain chemically created spirals.  Also, if the hair is too short or too long, the spirals will not form correctly.

Remember that hair which has already been chemically treated with relaxers, perms or color may be too compromised to handle a spiral perm which could result in major damage.

2.  Skilled Perm Expert - Not all hairstylists regularly work with chemical texturizers.  Some stylist may shy away from working with perms and have a limited skill set.  If you have your heart set on getting a spiral perm and have compatible hair, find an expert in creating spiral perms.

One of the most important elements which determines success or failure of a perm is what is known as the physical phase.  This phase involves wrapping the hair around the desired tools in the desired directions.

Understanding the best sizes of rollers to use and the best directions in order to create perfect ringlets can be complicated.  The tools used make all the difference between success and failure.  Therefore, it's important to locate a stylist which expertise and lots of experience in wrapping spiral perms.

Spiral Perm Dress Rehearsal

Make sure when you locate a stylist who has a lot of history in creating spiral perms that you ask to see their portfolio or book of work.  To be safe ask them to schedule you for a spiral perm dress rehearsal to test the outcome.

Although a test curl is usually performed during the chemical processing of the spiral perm, a dress rehearsal would ideally occur a week or more before the actual perm is applied.

A spiral dress rehearsal might involve a wash and wet set with spiral shaped curlers.  Not only would you be able to see what you look like with a head full of ringlets, your stylist could determine the size of curlers to utilize as well as planning the spacing for placement of the curlers.

3.  Realistic Expectations - Even when all the right conditions are in place ranging from the most compatible hair type, texture, length and condition to the available talents of a chemical hair treatment expert, things may still go awry.

The wrapping of the spiral perm is only part of the process.  The application of the chemicals is also a major part of the perming process.  The chemical process transforms hair into a lasting perm texture.  Two chemicals are used during the chemical process which includes the perm lotion which is a reducing agent and the neutralizer, which is an oxidizing agent.

Once a spiral perm has been completed, the results will last until the hair grows out from the root, the permed hair is cut off or the perm loses it's ability to form spirals.

Although all the right conditions may be in place for a successful outcome, sometimes perms are unpredictable and the results may not be completely desirable.  If this is the case, it's important to be realistic and be willing to evaluate other options.

4.  Commitment To Post-Perm Maintenance - A spiral perm which is a spectacular success will still require diligent post-perm maintenance to maximize the length of the perm.  Be sure to ask your hair stylist for a list of post-perm maintenance procedures.  In some cases a perm can't get wet for several hours.  Be sure to pay attention to any instructions for the proper protection of your newly treated hair.

While spiral perms may successfully alter the disulfide bonds and shit them into a new spiral configuration, to achieve picture perfect ringlets you may still be required to utilize a curling iron, hot rollers or spiral sponge curlers.  Be sure to evaluate these requirements before you commit to having a spiral perm applied to your hair.

Summary - Spiral Perm Dangers

One of the biggest spiral perm dangers is undertaking the chemical hair treatment without addressing four key elements for spiral perm success.

It should be noted that even with the ideal hair type, texture, length and condition, a perm expert and realistic expectations of the perm, not everyone will be happy with the results.  While long cascading rows of ringlets look spectacular on Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Taylor Swift or Nicole Kidman.

Should you do a spiral perm at home?  That's another topic for another day.  Since spiral perms can be so tricky it is strongly recommended you work with a hairstylist with lots of chemical texturizing experience.