i want very curly hair, perming advice please

i'm bored with my straight asian hair and would like to have curly hair kind of like this guy



i'm currently in the process of growing my hair out (it's about 3 inches long right now all around) and i have a fro-ball looking shape with my hair right now, but i would like to have the curly version of that

my first question is: should i go to a hair dresser to get my perm done or should i just get a friend to do it for me?

also: i'm a complete newbie when it comes to perms, what kind of products should i use to get hair like the kind in the picture?

and: how long should i grow my hair before i perm it? it doesn't have to be as long as the hair in the picture, i want to get the perm as soon as possible because i'm so bored with the straight hair (it's about 2-3inches right now)

any other advice or information about this would be great, thanks

i'm aware, but like i said, it doesn't necessarily have to be as long as the picture, i'm just asking for recommendations on how long my hair should be before i perm it (trying to get the perm as soon as possible)

I love At The Drive-In to death! I was listening to them just as I read your post. Omar Rodriguez has what I call the "Hispanic afro". It's big, but there are definite curls in a shapeless mass.

I don't mean to offend anyone but I've noticed that certain ethnic afros have very distinct qualities. Like the Pacific Islander afros look similar to the African ones but when you touch them they are softer and finer. They can be light brown too.

Right now, very curly hair is done through a spiral perm. Your hair should be wrapped in macaroni-like rods. This results in very curly hair like Omar.

I strongly suggest going to a good salon for this. You'll probably have to pay a high price for this kind of perm.

Friends....sometimes make mistakes even though they mean well

The downside is that in a couple months the fro will slowly relax and you'll lose volume as your hair grows. (That's mainly why wavey perms are popular, they don't require much upkeep). So you could enjoy big hair for 6 months or so and you'll have to do this again.

PS. If you like At The Drive In, listen to a song called "Streamlined" by Sunshine, they were on a split LP with ATDI.

PPS. Favorite ATDI song: Invalid Litter Dept.



Oh and I forgot, your hair should be at least 5 or 6 inchs for the best results.

thanks for all the information

but i can't help but wonder...what is the biggest difference between getting a perm at a salon and getting one from a friend?

also, 5-6 inches seems like a long time , so anything shorter probably won't work out for a perm? i was hoping to get it done right when my hair starts to fall (it looks like a straight-fro right now)

oh, and by the way, this is what my hair currently looks like (sorry for the quality, had to take a picture of my school ID with the webcam)



i just want to to get the perm as soon as possible before the hair starts to lose its volume and falls down

I agree with "........." and LaCerca

If your hair is 2-3 inches, do keep in mind that it could scrunch down to maybe half its size. And yes!! Get it done professionally!

Anais

An effort for you now is to grow out your hair and keep it in good condition for the next perm. Concentrate on growing out your hair by swearing off any chemical treatments and abuse.

Your hair is losing volume and curl, but wavy hair looks good. Just remember that it is temporary until the perm.

If your hair is too short, the stylist (I hope) will have trouble wrapping your hair and she'll break down and cry (I had an art teacher who used to do hair, and she broke down when she kept wrapping this elderly lady's hair and it wouldn't stay).

For growing tips go to the Longhair forum.

Here's an image to keep you motivated:

(Erika Badu)

my hair should be in pretty good condition (i haven't done anything to my hair other than wash and shampoo for about 4 years now)

i'm not really looking for a huge fro like eryka badu's or omar rodriguez's, i'm looking for more towards short and curly, so what is the minimum length of hair you guys would recommend before i get a perm for that?

my hair looks ok right now, but if it gets any longer, it might have trouble staying up the way it does and i won't know what to do with it

I know what you are talking about. My friend, he's got that short curly hair that stays close to the scalp. If he let it grow, it'd just be an afro.

I would say 4.5 to 5 inches is good. Ask someone to wrap your hair in popsicle sticks and secure them with pins that are plastic covered or made of plastic. Metal and perm chemicals don't mix.

This would either make your hair so curly that it gets very short. If the person did the perm incorrectly, you'll get curly frizz. You'll want to get an experienced stylist or a friend who has done this kind of thing before.

Be very careful with the chemical timing, and read the instructions carefully if you are doing this at home.

wait, so popsicle sticks AND pins? or one or the other, sorry i'm totally new at this

well there is a big difference between having your friend perming your hair and the salon doing it.
The salon people know what to do because they had training in perming hair. They also have more experienced and they have qulifications in doing it.
Unless your friend works in a salon or has permed many hair before yours, its ok to do with your friend.
Perming requires very very harsh chemical that can cause 1st or even 2nd degree burns tyo your scalp, neck or forehead. We are talking chemicals in the ph of 10 and above. I am talking toilet cleaner strength.
So be very carefull.

the lenght of the perm is almost half of the length of straight hair, so do the math to see how long you want your curly hair.

ok, the situation has changed...

my mom said she would be willing to perm my hair when i go home this weekend, she has permed hair many times but i don't know if she is familiar with the kind that i'm looking for

is it possible to get really small curls with the length of hair i currently have? if so, what kind of pins, perming chemicals, etc should she use?

Popsicle sticks to wrap hair around. Pins (plastic) to secure the ends of the hair so it does not unwind.

Make sure to wrap the ends well, or you will end up with stringy ends that you'll have to cut off. The ends complete the curl.

I would assume you would want to use a perm formula for hard to curl hair or thick hair. It is stronger. There is a milder formula for fine or colored hair if you would want it.

I would avise to think long and hard about this. What happens when new hair grows out? Will you cut off the permed parts and start over? Perming over permed hair will damage it further.

If this is something you want then go for it, but know the risks. Like I said before, be very careful with the timing.

hmmm, how long do you think it will be before i have to perm it again? my mom perms her hair twice a year i think, so is that a long enough time that won't lead to much damage?

also, which direction should the curls go? or should they just go in random directions?

oh yeah, and is there anything smaller than popsicle sticks that i could use to get even smaller curls?

When the bonds in your hair are reformed, they form in the shape they are wrapped in. If you can find something smaller you can wrap it using that. But it will most likely end up frizzy. But you are going for an afro.

About the wrapping, the perm kit will give you directions. They will be wrapped in rows on top and along the sides of your head.

You know the risks. I see I am not going to change your mind about getting regular curls. But it's up to you.

ok, so i got my hair permed, but it didn't end up curly, just wavy, we used the popsicle sticks, so maybe next time i should go for something smaller?

Get a spiral perm. Ask salons about this. I haven't seen them in stores. You will look like a poodle. They'll make tight curls. You might have to grow your hair out for this.

http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip155.htm

I've seen temporary perm kits that wash out in a week if you want to experiment. Look in the hair product isle in Wal-mart or drugstores.

wow, thanks for that article, it was pretty helpful, but what makes the end result of a spiral perm so much different than a regular perm using small rods?

For some reason a spiral perm produces curlier hair because the hair is wrapped directly into it's spiral shape. What you see is what you get.

Maybe the chemicals are absorbed better by each strand.

With the normal rollers, I tend to get wavier hair.
I've never had this done though.

do spiral rods come in really small sizes? i'm trying to get really small curls, i don't remember seeing them at the hair products store, oh and i'm planning on having my mom do my next perm for me as well, would that be ok for a spiral perm?

I haven't seen them anywhere either. You might have to order them or something. I am thinking...eBay.

The key is all in the wrapping and the timing. You need to pay attention and check the curls more often now because you've already had a perm.

I am just curious...why did you cut off all your long hair (I saw your picture) when you wanted a perm? You actually would of had a huge afro if you permed hair that is bob length with tight rollers.

i didn't think about perming my hair at the point when i cut it, but now that it's short, i'm trying to grow all my hair out evenly so i can get a decent looking fro, i know i know, it was one of the biggest mistakes in my life to cut my hair

Something positive about hair is that it grows. Especially with me because I just cut bangs myself this morning (guess how that turned out).

To check hair growth just examine the roots of your hair since the last perm. It should be straight and smoother.