You are ready to get your favorite style permanent. After all, it keeps taking ages to do your hair every day. How can one curl or wave one’s hair daily without falling back on schedule and to-do list?!
So you give up and are ready to invest some hard-earned cash to purchase your precious morning time! You are going to get a perm. But you are wondering which perming style will work best for you!
Should you get a regular perm or a spiral one? What should you consider when choosing one over the other? How will either of these help enhance your look?
Well, for the last question, we might really not help much. After all, you are curling your hair for ages and you know which look will work best on you. But we can tell you which locks you should get with your hair length and texture.
Let’s start with knowing the difference between spiral and regular perms.
Spiral Perm VS Regular Perm
But before we explore the difference, let’s know what is a perm after all. For starters, the perm is the term for bringing permanent change in your hair. Those people who have straight hair use this hair styling method to get their locks curled. You can also get wavy texture with this technique.
So, both spiral and regular perms give curly style; what makes the two different from each other?
Curls
The first difference lies in the type of curls each method gives. As is suggested by the name, a spiral perm is more tightly curled than a regular perm. The tight curls that make a signature mark of spiral perms give a well-defined style.
Regular perm can be loose perm or curly. You can change the curl size to suit your liking but it can’t be too tight and curly.
Strands And Texture
Just like in piggyback perm, every strand in spiral perm retains an individual position. They fall on your shoulder separately and you can differentiate one from the other. Within regular perm, the hair isn’t defined in individual strands. You can style them together through parting and combing.
Volume And Luster
Another difference between the two perm techniques is the volume they offer. As we can understand, spiral perm results in more intense curls. These curls are more defined and tight. This definition adds volume to your hair. Spiral perm makes one of the most voluminous perming techniques available to us. Not that regular perm also adds volume but the result is mild and not very prominent.
Minimum Allowed Length
You may not like this fact but your hair length determines the type of perms you can get. Don’t even think about getting a spiral perm if your hair is less than 8 inches long. And if you still dream of getting a spiral perm, let your locks grow first.
This length also decreases for regular perm but this decrease is slighter and usually unnoticeable.
Required Hair Texture
You may also want to know if your hair has the right texture and volume to use either of the methods. Spiral perm, for example, suits fine hair most. If your mane is thicker, you might not want spiral perm as this style can leave your hair extra thick and unmanageable. For such hair, regular perm makes the best choice. Likewise, like any other perm, a regular perm also makes a valid choice for fine hair.
How to Get A Perm
The method of getting either of the two styles also differs. First off, the rods used by either method differ. Then, you will see this variation in the way these rods are applied to the hair. Spiral perm takes thin rods which are also narrow. The rods for a regular perm can vary in size depending on the type of curls you want.
If you search the term, ‘how to get a perm’, you will notice that there is no one answer. The wide variety of methods to carry out these techniques will amaze you. This difference appears because of the versatility present in these styles.
Take the example of a spiral perm. The stylists apply this perm by fixing the perming rods vertically in the hair. The strands are rolled around these rods from top to bottom. This method gives tight curls that remain in shape after the procedure is complete.
Now consider regular perm. The method of achieving them is completely different. After preparing your hair, you have to apply the rods flat against your head.
Impact on Length
Spiral perm gives a more intense impact to your strands than regular ones in terms of length after the treatment. You will see your hair is more wound and shorter because of these curls. Don’t assume that regular perm doesn’t change your hair length at all because it does. But, in the case of regular perm, this impact is insignificant.
Image and Personality
Okay, these were the basic differences that separate the two perming methods. But, when you are blessed with reasonable length and volume of hair, you wouldn’t worry about these things, right. So, what’s more important for you in that case?
You would want a style that would match your personality. Although both types of perm give a sophisticated look, one of these is more modern and trendy while the other makes you stand out and only attracts your tribe to you while forcing others to drop out.
Regular perm gives the modern prem. It is in trend and will lend to modern hairstyles. On the other hand, the spiral perm is borrowed from 1920’s women. After its first appearance in that decade, the styling method reappeared first in the 1930s and then in the 1980s.
If you prefer tight curls and want to show off your style, a spiral perm is your go-to choice. But you would want to avoid it if you are a person who prefers fitting in more than standing out.
Which Perm Is Better?
If you want to know which perm you should get, you should consult your personality and that of your hair. Theoretically, spiral perm requires an upfront investment – you have to come up with longer hair. At the same time, the benefits are considerable when you consider the volume you get with a spiral perm.
Do you have straight hair? Oftentimes, this texture of hair doesn’t receive perming well. This limitation doesn’t only apply to spiral perm but also holds for a regular perm.
After you have considered your hair and its capacity to get a perm – particularly, you should consider your style. Unfortunately, because of the limitations presented by some types of hair, this sequence is the only way to go: first, determine if your hair is eligible for a certain perm and then see if the result suits your style!
You may prefer the modern and chic style and regular perms make a point in enhancing that. But there is no need to refrain from a spiral perm if you want to flaunt tight curls from the 1980s.
Getting Perm – At Home Or Salon?
Did you know that you can perm your hair at home? But you have to be skilled in getting it. Before you get a perm, make sure you know your hair type so you use the right kind of perm.
If your hair is damaged because of excessive styling, or if you color them frequently you should consult your stylist to know if it is ready to take the perming.
Caring for Perm
Once you have gotten a perm, you need to know that now hair care has an entirely different meaning than it was before. Your shampoos and conditioners should be perm-friendly and you should avoid excessive styling – even if for days immediately after perming.
Initial Care
In the first three days after getting a perm, don’t wet your hair. After that, only wash them without shampoo or use a mild shampoo for up to two weeks. The first two weeks after perming should go without styling. Even brushing your locks with a hairbrush can damage the style. It’s preferred that you use your fingers. At most, use a wide-toothed comb.
Nurture, Nurture, and More Nurture!
Perm is safer now than it used to be in the previous decades. Still, it’s a chemical process and changes the way your hair repaired itself. You have to help them with keeping healthy. Conditioner is your hair’s best pal. Use a deep conditioner now. And let your hair feast on this conditioner at least twice a week.
Things to Avoid!
Be more careful of your hair health. Try to minimize intense styling methods. For example, heat styling is a big no-no.
Be more careful of the hair care products you are choosing. Sodium, SLS, and alcohol will have a more intense (negative) impact on your hair than they had previously.
Towel drying can damage your hair and strip off its natural shine. Instead, let your hair dry naturally.
You also have to minimize the use of shampoo. Skip a day or two before washing your hair and always use conditioner afterward.
Take Away
Are you facing a tie between spiral perm vs regular perm for your next hairstyle? You want to keep flaunting your curls but your naturally straight hair is stopping you from doing so. And perm is your next permanent choice. But which perm type is the best. Quick answer: There is no one right answer and the choice varies from person to person.