Conference turris::womannotes-v2

    If this topic is covered elsewhere in this notefile, please point
    them to me.
    
    Much thanks...

    I have heard of relaxing a perm, little bits at time by over
    conditioning it.  don't know how successful that is.  the cost would be
    pretty high too.  you have to get some pretty gooey conditioners for
    serverly damaged hair and use it like every other day or something like
    that. like I said, I only heard about it, never actually tried it. 
    
    the only way that I could recommend would be to get a "mild" perm, and
    reperm the top using larger rods.   there are perms for color-treated
    hair that are really pretty gentle. 
    
    vivian
     

    note 482 in this file talks a bit about controlling naturally curly
    hair....maybe that info would be of some help.  Haven't found the
    topic anywhere else yet....
    
    I'd suggest you go to a PROFESSIONAL to get this taken care of.
    I tried coloring/perming my own hair (with the help of friends)
    for several years (can you picture me with wavy, bright-auburn-red
    hair?)....and I overdid the chemical processes (just exhausted the
    hair with so much alteration) one too many times.  It took a
    professional to fix the damage....now it's just me and my straight
    mousy-brown locks.
    
    good luck....
    
    -Jody
    

    Don't try to relax the perm with an over-the-counter relaxer. Both
    the do-it-yourself perms and the relaxers have a lot of chemicals,
    and you'll end up literally "frying your hair". If you hate it that
    much, go to a salon and have it fixed - it will cost close to $100
    for the process. However, if you can live with it, I recommend going
    to a drugstore and buying several packets of a hot oil treatment
    for severly dry hair - use as directed EXCEPT - place in your hair,
    wrap your head in a towel, and leave on for several hours. Try this
    once per week for the next 2-3 weeks, and you will notice the curls
    relaxing. 
    
    If they have not relaxed to your satisfaction, buy a curling iron
    (fairly large wand, at least 1/2 inch) and soft-curl the top until
    the perm is relaxed enough - by August, you'll be fine!
    
    

    I was told to relax a perm faster by washing the hair with
    PRELL.

    all the over the counter relaxers are not for permed hair.  I was kind
    of wondering, what make you think there are no chemicals in the stuff
    used in salons?   I hope for $100, you had your hair gold plated :-) It
    sounds like they did a reverse perm. therefore, more chemicals.  it
    took chemicals to put the curl it, it takes chemicals to take it out. 
    even the conditioners are just packing the hair shaft with goo.  The
    hot oil treatment is just adding grease.  there are some excellent
    conditioners (one that comes to mind is called an extreme pac, feels
    like sand, works wonderful on damaged hair, it fills the hair shaft
    with protein, the oil just coats the hair shaft and weights it down)
    It is recommended that you wait a week before adding any other chemical
    to your hair.  mostly, that is for your scalp. it is possible to burn it
    and end up with sores.  so take good care of your scalp.  wait a week.
    It is "critical: that you do not over process your hair! so, if you do
    it yourself, follow the timing charts carefully. also, use the
    solutions I suggested a few back, the perms for color treated hair on
    Larger rods.  *it is gentler* If you go to a salon, they will do a
    reverse perm, put solutions of some type to soften the perm.  if it is
    extremely kinky, its the only way to recurl your hair.  
    
    re a few back, if you want to perm color treated hair, *always* perm
    first, then after a couple of days, preferably a week, recolor. the
    perm will strip color out. If you process your hair frequently, it will
    damage it. after all, thats two different types of chemicals.  It was
    also taught, that if you are going to color your hair and perm it a
    week later, make sure the perm is a little tighter than really wanted
    as the perm will be loosened by the hair color. 
    
    
    vivian

    when I was in cosmotology school, we did an experiment with prell. we
    could actually produce the same results of a perm, buy putting prell in
    hair and wrapping in perm rods, leaving on for an hour and then rinsing
    it out. the instructors at school always contended that prell is the
    most "detergent" harshest shampoo on the market and should only be used
    by people who have never chemically treated their hair. and from
    talking with fellow hairdressers, the results of using prell will dry
    hair faster than any other shampoo.
    
    did anyone back east find a beauty supply house that is open to the
    public? that would be the best place to purchase hair supplies.
      
    
    vivian

    You might try using shampoos and conditioners that can be bought
    in hair salons only.  I'm always getting my hair professionally
    permed.  I *used* to use regular shampoos, but my hair never did
    feel very soft.  Then I switched to useing the NEXUS hair products
    my hairdresser used and I'll tell you, it definitely made a difference!
    
    If your interested try using the Botan Oil shampoo, Kerafix (once
    a week) and Hemectrix every day (leave on hair and don't rinse out).
    
    Good Luck,
    
    - L
    

	 I deep condition once a week if my perms are too curly.  Use a
	 *GOOD* conditioner and wrap your head in plastic wrap (or a
	 plastic bag)--place a warm towel over your head and leave it
	 on an hour or so.

	 Or, if the curls are just on top, just condition that part!

	 I used too tight of curlers on top of my head last perm...I
	 relaxed the curls in about 2 weeks by doing this....and got
	 my hair in better condition.

	 kath

    
    I damaged my hair doing a home perm once. I thought
    I could get another month or two out of it before 
    I went back to the salon. 
    
    They ended up fixing the damage I did. I will never
    try it again! 
    
    P.S. Try large hot rollers for the top in the meantime -
    it makes the frizz look less wild....
    
    

    thanks for all the advice, I went for a hair trim yesterday.
    It was quite a laugh when she saw it.  I promised her (not my regular
    hair dresser - I wouldn't dare to go to him) that I won't do the
    same thing again.  
    
    It's still quite curly so I need to try the suggestion here about
    wrapping it with a towel (& conditioner) for hour per day.  Quite
    an adventure,though.
    
    Jane

    I've been home perming my hair for years (at least 10).  My mom use to
    do it when I was young, and now my husband does it (what a sweetie).
    Just don't want everyone to be scared off from doing a home perm - it
    does work if you follow directions.  And it only costs five dollars.
    
    If you've never done it before, use large rollers and the minimum
    amount of time - you don't know how your hair will react.  Once you
    have done it a few times, you'll get a feel for the type of roller and
    amount of time. Mine is hard to curl so I use medium rollers and wait
    the maximum amount of time. I haven't scorched it yet! 
    
    Suzanne

    re .13
    
    what brand of perm do you suggest that is the 'calmest' to the hair?
    
    Jane

    RE: 14
    
    I use TONY.  They have a lotion for normal hair and you can vary
    the time you leave the perm on for body, curls or curly curls.
    The first time I would just go with the body and see how my hair
    reacts and then move up to the curls.  If your hair still doesn't
    get as curly as you want it (hard to curl hair like mine), they
    have another solution for hard to curl hair, and again you can vary
    the time for body, curls or curly curls.  When your doing something
    like this you have to experiment, but start out with the mildest
    and work your way up until its exactly how you want it.
              
    Tony also has coordinating curlers, depending on the curl you want.
    These run about 6 dollars but you only have to buy them once.  Its
    great, my husband and I turn on a movie, he rolls up my hair and
    by the end of the movie I've got curls and we've only spent $5 instead
    of 50+.
    
    
    Suzanne

    Another conditioner that has worked to relax a too tight perm for
    me was Australian Hair Salad (you can get packets that are meant
    for 1-2 applications, I used the whole thing the last time I wanted
    to relax a perm and it got the frizz out and left my hair nice.
    
    Once you are more relaxed (and your hair too), try to keep it
    conditioned more often than when you don't have a perm.
    
    this may be too late, just my 2� worth!
    
    irene