Digital Perm!

[Guest Rekidai]

*quoted image*

okay  so i have always had really soft, shiny, stick-straight hair. i never dyed it, never permed it. i rarely ever used any kind of heat on it (i would always air-dry my hair, never straightened it or curled it). my hair grows pretty quickly too so i used to donate it a lot to various organizations for cancer patients/wigs/etc. people always complimented me on my hair, but i was never satisfied. i thought it was boring. and then last year or so, i started curling my hair more often (maybe once every 2-3 weeks or so) and i LOVED it. i love curly hair. i  always have. i thought big, voluminous, wavy hair was beautiful. i would get frustrated because my hair was SO straight (complete 생머리), that even if i curled it and doused it in hairspray, within a few hours it would become limp and lifeless.

so i decided to get a digital perm. i grew my hair out (as shown in the above pictures, i grew my hair halfway down my back and had a few layers - the shortest layer would sit halfway down my chest, the longest layer about an inch past my boobs). i researched everything possible - to-dos, aftercare tips, horror stories, etc. and it seemed like it would be great for me. i went and got the digi perm yesterday. i was really hesitant at first, however, the hairdresser, my mother, and the majority of my friends (through texts) were pushing me to do it and said it would look nice.

so i went through with it. i told the lady that i wanted big, loose waves/curls that looked natural and would be low maintenance (i'm a college student with mostly 8AMs, i have very little time to sit and play with my hair in the morning. normally i'd get up, shower, brush my hair, and be out the door). i told her i wanted the curls to start around my ears and to keep the top + my bangs straight. i wanted to keep the length also (i was going to ask her to trim it after the entire process was over so that i could get the fried ends cut off).

and then she pulled out her scissors and i could tell something was going to go very wrong. she chopped off a lot of the length and layered it a lot - the top being very heavy and choppy and short. the bottom layer was long but pretty thin. she then added some chemical to my hair and then started rolling them into rollers. i specifically told her i wanted the big ones so that i'd have loose curls, but she said that my hair was TOO straight, so that it probably wouldn't come out that well. so she alternated with some medium rollers and large rollers. she also rolled them ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF MY HEAD. she even took some of my bangs, but said it would look better because it would give me more volume + make the bangs blend in with the hair better. but she left some of the bangs down/straight. i was scared.

she clipped the octopus machine (LOL) onto my head then and left me for about 30 mins. then she undid them, washed my hair with water, put me under one of the cooling/heating helmet things for 5 mins, then put neutralizer on the rollers for about 10 mins, and then undid the rollers. she washed my hair with shampoo and told me to towel blot - and then i was done. (i was so confused because all the things i read about digital perms said that it took about 3-4 hours. it took me maybe an hour and 45 minutes or so.)

*quoted image*

okay so the top 2 pictures are from last night, after i got home and it had finished air-drying (with a curl shine essence thing she had put in). it was fluffy and poofy and kind of frizzy. it looked very messy and unkempt - nothing like the big, loose, shiny curls i had been expecting. even the hairdresser could tell that this wasn't what i had been expecting and assured me that within 2 weeks or so it'd be perfect/look fine. 

the bottom 2 pictures are from this morning. 1 after i showered and towel blotted and let sit for an hour (it takes about 3 hours for it to fully air dry, i realized today). it still looks very tight and wet and messy. i added the shine essence product she gave me and twirled it, as instructed. the bottom right picture was taken just now - 7 hours later. it's back to looking poofy, frizzy, and messy. it's also kind of limp in some places, but then tighter in other areas. like.. there's one section of my hair that's almost straight - with a SLIGHT fail wave at the very bottom/tip. while the top layers of my hair are tight curls.

it looks like a mix between a middle school student scrunching her hair with gel + an old lady/ahjuhmah perm. it feels a little stiff in some areas and the ends feel terrible. it's as if i curled my hair the day before, hairsprayed it, and slept on it - so it has the kind of crunchy, limp feel/look. i'm so unhappy. i feel so terrible for taking my straight 생머리 for granted for so many years. i really wish i could just go back in time and refuse to get it done :\ everyone's telling me that within a month or so the poofiness should go away and it'll look much better... but i'm just so unhappy with it right now.

does anyone have more care tips? it's only the second day for me. i switched to a moisturizing/damage repair shampoo and conditioner. i also want to straighten the portion of my bangs that she curled (would that be bad for my hair?) sigh. at this point, i'd welcome any help. T_T i want my hair to look better/healthy again.

sounds like you just got a perm not a digital perm, I got a perm once too and it looked like that. It's probably fried because of the chemicals, perms are more damaging. The most you can do is keep conditioning. After a month it does get better, after a month it looked alot better for me. im actually UNHAPPY about my digital perm, and thinking of just doing a perm now and getting him to do it with bigger curls. I don't know i have no decided yet my hair is just argh i hate it straight.

[Guest Mui Mui1430273568]

Here's the link to my last post about my digital perm in Houston, Texas- May 2010

Previous Digital Perm Post

and here are pics from the one i just got done in Mong Kok Hong kong. =)

[Guest VancityGirl]

Well I got a digital perm on Saturday and here's what happend!

First, this is how my hair looked like: .

Its thick, long and naturally curly/wavy (but after a day the curls/waves are gone.) I did a magic straight perm about two years ago and I don't use any products and I air dry my hair.

I went to Richard Hair in Burnaby/Coquitlam, I used medium/smalll rods and it cost $90 +tip. It included wash, cut and perm.

The hairstylist said that since my hair is naturally curly, he'll make the curls/wave loose on purpose. He said that for my hair, it would last a hair and if i don't cut it, 2 years. o.o

I got wash, -shampoo only-, dry,then got a hair cut. My bangs got cut really short and he cut about 10 cm off the length TT. I asked him if he didn't cut it too short but he said that the curls won't make my hair any shorter.

Then I got the smelly perm solution into my hair. The hair stylist put some plastic on my hair and put my head under the heat machine. Then he washed the solution out. He straightend the top half of my hair and put culers in the bottom half. Then the curlers got hooked up to the machine. After the machine beeped, he left the curlers in and applied a watery-chorline-smelling-liquid. He did this 2 times and then let it soak. Then the assistant washed my hair in that watery-chorline-smelling liquid. then rinsed,and used conditioner. (It smelt soooo good!) . Then he dried with a towel and used a hair dryer.

After, he told me that some aftercare tips: don't brush your hair, twist into 4 sections for tight curls and 2 sections for loose curls, use hair essence only on the inner side of your hair and at the ends and on your bangs, when you sleep, twist your hair into either 4 or 2 sections, don't tie your hair or shower for 2-3 days,

After 4 1/2 hours, I was done. I've always had long bangs so when I got short bangs it was really awkward. But people say that it looks pretty.. (suspicious~).. and my curls arent really curls.. they're spirals. I asked my friends and they said that it's supposed to be like that. Here's my hair now:

I'm so anxious for it to loosen up!!!!

Edit: !! sorry the pics are so huge!!!

[Guest _Amanda]

and here are pics from the one i just got done in Mong Kok Hong kong. =)

Which salon in Mongkok did you go too? I'm tired of my straight hair, so I'm considering getting the digital perm.

But then again I'm scared I'll look like a clown afterwards! But yours looks really nice!

[Guest Mui Mui1430273568]

Which salon in Mongkok did you go too? I'm tired of my straight hair, so I'm considering getting the digital perm.

But then again I'm scared I'll look like a clown afterwards! But yours looks really nice!

Its been about a month since I got the perm done. I don't know if like it. I don't know if it's because It's not as tight as my previous perm I did in Houston, Tx but it just seems that it's not holding as well. The curls just seem like they hold better at the bottom than the top. It could just be because as soon as I got the perm I was in Vietnam for about 3 weeks and I didn't take care of it as normally would if I was in the US. I should post a picture up but my hair is in a pony tail right now.

Here is my Hair after its just been in a pony tail all day. So this is just dropping it down with no hair care. Urgh, I'm breaking out and I have no makeup on =X blah. Whatever.

I went to some salon named Mami hair salon. I just found a random hair salon on the 2nd floor while i was walking around MongKok.

[Guest mo.NeMo81]

@sueee waaait did you say you washed your hair? did you wait 2-3 days before washing it? If not, that might be the problem X: If that's not the case, it's best to ask your stylist because there are a lot of things that may have factored into it--your hair didn't take to the solution, you're not styling it quite right, etc

@amyoungji I think your hair looks long enough (: Looser curls hardly alter the length of your hair unless the hair stylist goes crazy with the trimming (like mine did). At most, the curls will shorten your hair by an inch. however, everyone has different hair and digital perms don't always turn out the same (it took me a LOT of trial and error to figure out how to style it), so if you are paranoid you should wait it out until after graduation pics to get the perm.

As for making your face look bloated, I heard that loose curls flatter the face, not make it look wider

Where did you perm your hair?! It's perfect!

[Guest kimmmm]

after seeing all the pics i really want to get a perm done now. i asked around at my work to get views and advice for me. but just asking you guys if you think it would look, okay/good on me

so thats just flat..really flat

please excuse the bags and skind, just washed my face then decided to pull out the hair straightener

and i took this today. I used my ghd and did a bodgy curl on one side to see which would be better. but i cant tell .

i considered my length and would probably get what han hyo joo had in heavens post man. the short wavy bob.

yay or nay? any opinions?? )

[Guest Ryojikari]

Has anyone had problem with the curls getting tangled? I'm getting my maintenance done since my curls are starting to get limp but i'm having a REALLY tough time trying to UNTANGLE it. I don't brush, i usually just finger comb in the shower but these days I could hardly go midway through my strands without pulling it. ANY ADVICE on that?

[Guest Mui Mui1430273568]

after seeing all the pics i really want to get a perm done now. i asked around at my work to get views and advice for me. but just asking you guys if you think it would look, okay/good on me

*quoted image*

so thats just flat..really flat

*quoted image*please excuse the bags and skind, just washed my face then decided to pull out the hair straightener

and i took this today. I used my ghd and did a bodgy curl on one side to see which would be better. but i cant tell .

i considered my length and would probably get what han hyo joo had in heavens post man. the short wavy bob.

yay or nay? any opinions?? )

Personally, I think your hair is kinda too short because when they do the perm it doesn't go all the way down to the scalp. For the most part it starts where your ears are. I"m not sure what kinda look you are going for. I've never permed my hair when it was short so I dont know if there is a way to make it look curly with smaller rollers or whatnot. That's just me. Just wait a little bit and unless you've seen a picture of a short haircut that had a digital perm done. It does shorten your hair a little bit when you do get the perm done.

Good Luck in your decision. Hope I helped some! =)

[Guest lovelikeoxygen.]

^

o; Your hair is absolutely gorgeous. It's so pretty! I'd never even heard about digital perms until now but I seriously want to look up more!

Because your hair looks so pretty and nice, I'm fifteen and have the typical Asian straight, long hair xD It's length is kind of like the standard

ulzzang length, or like Kim Shin Yeong's I guess? Mid back? Even though I kind of want a Bubzbeauty or a Kim Shin Yeon hair cut (her fringe)

I love your hair! xDDD I don't think I know anywhere to get it where I live though ._. but still! So pretty c:

[Guest starrie93]

Hi does anyone know if any perm can achieve this look. What I mean is the bangs, can a perm make it "curve out"? if you know what I mean XD

[Guest xindi]

Has anyone had problem with the curls getting tangled? I'm getting my maintenance done since my curls are starting to get limp but i'm having a REALLY tough time trying to UNTANGLE it. I don't brush, i usually just finger comb in the shower but these days I could hardly go midway through my strands without pulling it. ANY ADVICE on that?

try using a really good conditioner and letting it soak in for a couple minutes rather than immediately rinsing it out. like in the shower, do shampoo+conditioner before anything, clip it up, and rinse it out last. it should be a lot easier to finger-comb out then

it could also be the conditioner you're using! I personally have really good results with Aussie Moist. good luck~

Hi does anyone know if any perm can achieve this look. What I mean is the bangs, can a perm make it "curve out"? if you know what I mean XD*quoted image*

I'm sorry but I don't know what you mean :x first of all that's a wig, and second if it is permed, the bangs aren't. that style of bangs can be achieved a variety of easy ways that don't need any chemical treatment though! (blow dry with a roller brush, straighten in a curve direction, big curling iron, etc)

[Guest LOLNy]

Anyone have any idea about where I can get a digital perm done in Louisiana? D: I really want one

[Guest Mui Mui1430273568]

Anyone have any idea about where I can get a digital perm done in Louisiana? D: I really want one

I live in Louisiana! I always go to Houston for mine! I dont think there are any places here and I dont know if I'd trust anyone. I'm sure it would be super duper expensive!!

[Guest onlysunme]

my mom wants me to get a perm. if i am to get any kind of perm, i'm definitely getting a digital perm. i like the way it looks better than curls.

snsd's yoona and seohyun had digital waves in their hair and it looks like... perfect. totes jeal.

[Guest kathleenq]

Hi everyone!

So I joined soompi just so I can reply to this thread because I've been thinking about getting a digital perm for months, and this forum really helped me in making my decision to get one. I just loved seeing everyone's pictures of how theirs turned out! So I finally decided to go through with it, and wanted to share my experience with everyone else who's thinking about getting it done, since this thread helped me out so much.

Background: Before the perm, I had the typical super slick, smooth, straight Asian hair. It was about halfway down my back in length. The last time I did anything chemically to my hair was about 8 years ago, and the only damage I caused was from using the straightener to curl my hair. My hair could never hold a curl from a roller, but with the straightener my hair held throughout the whole day. I was tired of always having to do this, which is why I decided to get a digital perm.

Process: Typically the same process as what everyone else went through in this thread. I asked for the largest rollers, and the entire process lasted around three hours. I loved how it came out! I had big, bouncy curls and my was still soft, but the thing was.. my hair started going straight again 30 minutes after leaving the salon! The curls had loosened up really quickly, which from what I read from everyone else's experience, normally it'd take a week. I was afraid of it going completely straight again, so I went back the same day to get it redone for free. The hairdresser said that for a first time perm, it can go straight if your hair hasn't been chemically treated before. So this time she used the next to largest rollers, and rolled it up a little closer to the top of my head. I wasn't completely happy with the results the second time around. The curls were smaller, my hair felt drier (of course, getting chemicals put in your hair back to back will really damage it), AND my hair went straight again by the time I got home! I was really disappointed and my hair looked really disgusting for the first couple of days.

Styling and Maintenance: The first time I washed it after 48 hours, the curls did magically reappear. I also deep conditioned my hair twice to try to regain its softness. The only product I'd put was some antifrizz smoothing serum, but my hair would fall flat when it dried and the curls would be limp. The pictures down there were taken after I discovered mousse! I was afraid to try it because I didn't want that wet, crunchy appearance, but I really recommend Suave Captivating Curls Mousse. It's gotten great reviews, and it's only $3! The thing I love about it is that it doesn't leave your hair crunchy at all, and it really has defined my curls! Now all I do after I shower is turn my head upside down, squeeze a dollop of it into my hair, scrunch it up a little bit, and let it dry. However, the downside to getting a perm is that your hair takes FOREVER to airdry. What used to take 30 minutes now takes 3 hours. -__-" It sucks though because I have early morning classes, so usually I just tie it up in the morning for class, then take a shower in the afternoon so that it looks nice when I go out later. I also deep condition my hair once a week in order to keep my hair soft and healthy, because the perm really did damage my hair. Oh, and I've noticed that the chemicals made my hair color a shade lighter! I'm not complaining though, because I love brown hair.

Overall, I'm happy with my digital perm. I can't wait for it to grow a little longer so that the curls will start around my ear instead of higher up. I'm also thinking about getting bangs, but my boyfriend said that it would look like I have a wig.. opinions anyone? I don't know what would look better, front bangs or side bangs.

Well, here are pictures of how my hair looks now, a week after getting the perm:

Hope this helped anyone thinking about getting one!

[Guest Ryojikari]

Hi everyone!

So I joined soompi just so I can reply to this thread because I've been thinking about getting a digital perm for months, and this forum really helped me in making my decision to get one. I just loved seeing everyone's pictures of how theirs turned out! So I finally decided to go through with it, and wanted to share my experience with everyone else who's thinking about getting it done, since this thread helped me out so much.

Background: Before the perm, I had the typical super slick, smooth, straight Asian hair. It was about halfway down my back in length. The last time I did anything chemically to my hair was about 8 years ago, and the only damage I caused was from using the straightener to curl my hair. My hair could never hold a curl from a roller, but with the straightener my hair held throughout the whole day. I was tired of always having to do this, which is why I decided to get a digital perm.

Process: Typically the same process as what everyone else went through in this thread. I asked for the largest rollers, and the entire process lasted around three hours. I loved how it came out! I had big, bouncy curls and my was still soft, but the thing was.. my hair started going straight again 30 minutes after leaving the salon! The curls had loosened up really quickly, which from what I read from everyone else's experience, normally it'd take a week. I was afraid of it going completely straight again, so I went back the same day to get it redone for free. The hairdresser said that for a first time perm, it can go straight if your hair hasn't been chemically treated before. So this time she used the next to largest rollers, and rolled it up a little closer to the top of my head. I wasn't completely happy with the results the second time around. The curls were smaller, my hair felt drier (of course, getting chemicals put in your hair back to back will really damage it), AND my hair went straight again by the time I got home! I was really disappointed and my hair looked really disgusting for the first couple of days.

Styling and Maintenance: The first time I washed it after 48 hours, the curls did magically reappear. I also deep conditioned my hair twice to try to regain its softness. The only product I'd put was some antifrizz smoothing serum, but my hair would fall flat when it dried and the curls would be limp. The pictures down there were taken after I discovered mousse! I was afraid to try it because I didn't want that wet, crunchy appearance, but I really recommend Suave Captivating Curls Mousse. It's gotten great reviews, and it's only $3! The thing I love about it is that it doesn't leave your hair crunchy at all, and it really has defined my curls! Now all I do after I shower is turn my head upside down, squeeze a dollop of it into my hair, scrunch it up a little bit, and let it dry. However, the downside to getting a perm is that your hair takes FOREVER to airdry. What used to take 30 minutes now takes 3 hours. -__-" It sucks though because I have early morning classes, so usually I just tie it up in the morning for class, then take a shower in the afternoon so that it looks nice when I go out later. I also deep condition my hair once a week in order to keep my hair soft and healthy, because the perm really did damage my hair. Oh, and I've noticed that the chemicals made my hair color a shade lighter! I'm not complaining though, because I love brown hair.

Overall, I'm happy with my digital perm. I can't wait for it to grow a little longer so that the curls will start around my ear instead of higher up. I'm also thinking about getting bangs, but my boyfriend said that it would look like I have a wig.. opinions anyone? I don't know what would look better, front bangs or side bangs.

Well, here are pictures of how my hair looks now, a week after getting the perm:

*quoted image*

*quoted image*

Hope this helped anyone thinking about getting one!

CONGRATS on the successful perm!

I remember the first few days I had them I was practically paranoid to even sleep on my curls in case it disappears

I say keep it as it is, your face seems to suit the no bangs look. I'm not a fan of bangs myself so I typically just split it in the middle like this:

[Guest mionyan]

Does anyone know a good place in Sydney to get a digital perm?

[Guest kath (^___^)]

i have rebonded hair. is it okay to perm [digital perm] it . . . ? also, does the curls last like, forever? :)

[Guest Ryojikari]

i have rebonded hair. is it okay to perm [digital perm] it . . . ? also, does the curls last like, forever?

Only if you had your hair rebonded like about a year already. If it's recently rebonded then NO. The curls won't hold if hair was just rebonded recently plus it would die with the chemicals. And lol, unfortunately it DOES NOT last forever (Though I wish it would) it loosens after a few months or if you're lucky, a year. I had mine done last year, it's been 8 mons now, the curls are still holding but there are days when they practically just go wavy in the edges. I need to get maintenance soon >.< Dam.n I wish it came cheap!