Hot perms are best for thin or damaged hair, such as hair that’s been color-treated. You may hear hot perms called acid perms or digital perms, because of the digital display on the equipment used in a hot perm. As part of the process, heat is applied to the hair. This acid breaks the disulfide bonds in hair to produce the curl. Hot perms use a formula with a pH between 4.5 ( about as acidic as a strong, black cup of coffee) - to 7.0, which is the pH of pure water. While there are many styles of perm, there are two major techniques used to perm hair that everyone considering a perm should know. Remember: your hairstyle should always fit your lifestyle. If you answered yes to the questions above, a perm may not be the right choice for you.ĭyeing your hair can make your hair more brittle, and while it’s perfectly fine to perm your once-dyed hair, you may want to reconsider if you have used permanent dye several times within a shorter time period, or if you bleached your hair before dyeing it.įrequent washing can shorten the life of a perm, so if you have naturally fine hair or are involved in athletics, be aware that you may need to get it permed more often.įinally, chlorinated water can ruin a perm, so if swimming is an important part of your life, you may want to reconsider getting a perm. Do you need to wash your hair frequently?.Do you love to swim as a sport? Is swimming part of your gym routine?.Have you dyed your hair multiple times, or bleached and then dyed it?.When you’re considering a new hairstyle, consider the following first: