Men also love a good hair perm.
The problem is, most guys don't know after how long they should go back for a touch-up.
So, how long do perms last for guys?
Generally, your man perm will last between three and four months. It lasts longer than other curly hairstyles, such as a blow-dry. Even though the curls will have you thinking it's a permanent style and there's no need to go for a touch-up, a man perm loses its magic with time.
What if you don't have a perm maintenance routine? We'll look at that and other concerns below.
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How Long Does A Perm Last For Guys? The Factors
Your hair changes when you get a hair perm. It's no longer natural as the chemicals change the hair structure by breaking down keratin so that your hair develops curls. Consequently, you have to want a hair perm before getting one.
After a while, say a few months, you'll see new hair growing in a different direction. That'll make you ask, how long do perms last for men? Let's talk about:
1. Hair Care After A Perm
Keep your hair dry for the first two days after getting a perm. The curls are delicate at that point, and any manipulation can undo them.
Therefore, no combing or brushing from when you leave your stylist's place until about two days later. You'll also not wash your hair for this duration as the perming treatment will be developing new bonds. Your hair will be malleable for about a week, during which time any force can manipulate it.
Did you follow that routine when you got your perm? If you didn't, use this hair care routine when you get a touch-up.
2. Wild Growth
You end up with tangles and frizz for not getting a haircut because your hair will still grow after chemical treatment.
Consequently…
Visit a hair salon at least every two months as curls lose their shape when your hair grows.
If your hair grows faster than the average half an inch a month, you'll need barbering services more often.
Perming damaged, dry hair weakens it. Thus, if you had weak hair before chemically treating it, your perm won't last.
3. The Perm Technique
How long does a perm last on guys with a cold or hot perm (digital perm)? A cold perm doesn't damage your hair as much as a hot perm; however, the curls undo faster.
Longevity also depends on your perm wrap. In essence, how you wrap hair with a perm rod can define how long your perm curl lasts.
For example, a spiral perm gives you a loose curl pattern that looks natural and turns into a wavy perm after a while. A Korean perm or body wave perm is also natural-looking. Nonetheless, these styles don't have tight curls, so they unravel fast.
A perm's flair also depends on the overall hairstyle and its maintenance. For instance, some men combine a curly perm with a fade haircut. They get a spot perm for the longer hair on the crown and taper the back and sides.
Alternatively, they get a root perm to have a tighter curl pattern on the crown. Such hairstyles need regular haircuts to define the fade, or the perm won't stand out.
Men with long, curly hair also love a straight perm because it removes curls and flattens hair follicles. It lasts between three to six months. But just like a tight perm, this treatment doesn't last long on thin hair or tresses with hair color.
Also, a DIY job won't last as long as one done by an experienced stylist.
If you do a perm treatment unprofessionally, one thing to worry about is hair loss from breakage.
4. Hair Type
Though a perm solution holds in any hair texture, thick, wavy hair has a tight curl pattern. But that shouldn't stop you from getting a men's perm if you have straight hair.
How To Make A Perm Last Longer
The answer to how long does a perm last for guys is to know how to make the curls last longer. Let's go straight to the solutions, now that you know what could be damaging your permed hair.
1. Shampoo Every Other Time
Perming reduces the moisture level in your hair significantly.
You worsen its condition when you shampoo it too often as you end up with dull curls.
Of course, you'd need to shampoo your hair to remove grease and residue. But, you have to weigh cleansing your hair against causing dryness. The solution is to wash it once or twice a week. Use hair products suited to curly or wavy hair, such as a sulfate-free shampoo, to maintain natural oils in your hair.
To add moisture and replace the natural oils removed by the shampoo, deep condition twice or thrice a month.
2. No Heat Styling
Heat styling looks like a good idea to maintain your permed hair, but in the real sense, it causes frizz, and it can loosen your curls.
Therefore, after washing your hair, air dry it or if you want to do it a little bit faster, towel it dry. If you must blow it dry, apply a heat protectant first to minimize frizz. Another trick when using a blow dryer is to attach a diffuser so that the heat spreads evenly to reduce frizz.
Dapper Point: Know how much it would cost you to get a perm. Read our article here -- How Much Is A Perm For Men.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should men sleep with a perm?
When you ask how long does a perm last on a male, you'll also need answers to the nighttime routine for this perm hairstyle. What you sleep in and on can change your curl pattern.
It might sound like it's a bit too much for you to sleep in a silk scarf, but if you want that perm hair look to stay neat and healthy, you have to buy one. Also, use a silk pillowcase to prevent friction and tangles that'll change your curl pattern. Satin is also a good fabric for the pillowcase and headscarf.
Can you undo a perm?
A hair relaxer gives you permanent curls. If you want to undo a modern perm on curly hair, then you either let the hair grow out or shave it.
Hair length also matters. You can trim the ends to remove permanent curls on short hair as the new growth won't have a perm, but you can't do that with long hair.
If you have straight hair, you can undo the perm. You see, a perm neutralizes in about 24 hours, so if you shampoo it before 48 hours are over, you can undo it.
Wash it with shampoo to cleanse it, apply deep conditioning and cover it with a shower cap until morning. The conditioner loosens the curly hair. If your hairstyle is older than a week, you can let the permed curls grow up so that you don't attempt to remove them and damage your hair.
What happens if I brush my perm?
You can brush a curly hairstyle to remove tangles, but doing this on permed tresses can undo them or make them frizzy. If you must, then be gentle and brush the correct way. Doing it improperly would damage your hair and increase frizz.
For example, don't brush dry hair as this disrupts the pattern and may cause split ends. If you don't want to brush it in the shower, you can dampen your hair. Doing it right also means using the correct tools, such as a wide-tooth comb, instead of synthetic brushes.
Conclusion
Who would have thought that men would love perms as they do today? One of the questions men ask is, "how long do perms last for guys?".
As we've found out, you'll have a perm style for about four months. If you're lucky, your permed hair can still look stylish by the sixth month. This duration depends on a few factors like who gave you the perm, the hair care after getting it, and the condition of your hair. Now you know how to take care of your hair.
