Perm (hairstyle) facts for kids

First Prize won at the Hairdressing Fashion Show London, 1935, using an Icall permanent-waving machine. The hair is shorter even than in the 1920s and curls/waves are sides, revealing the ears and neck. The colors were achieved by adding pigments to the setting lotion.

Afro permanent on a male resident of Miami Beach in 1972.

A permanent wave, commonly called a perm, is the chemical treatment of hair to produce curls.

Perms may be applied using thermal or chemical means. In the latter method, chemicals are applied to the hair, which is then wrapped around forms to produce waves and curls. The same process is used for chemical straightening or relaxing, with the hair being flattened instead of curled during the chemical reaction.

History

The first chemical treatment for curling hair that was suitable for use on people was invented in the year 1906 by the German hairdresser Karl Nessler (1872-1951). He used a mixture of cow urine and water. The first public demonstration took place on October 8, 1906, but Nessler had been working on the idea since 1896. Previously, wigs had been set with caustic chemicals to form curls, but these recipes were too harsh to use on human skin.

Images for kids

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  First Prize won at the Hairdressing Fashion Show London, 1935, using an Icall permanent-waving machine. The hair is shorter even than in the 1920s, revealing the ears and neck. The colors were achieved by adding pigments to the setting lotion.

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  Early 20th century advertisement for Nessler's permanent wave machine

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  First permanent-waving heaters designed by Calvete in 1917

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  Machine made in 1923 by Icall for Eugene

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  Hair wound ready for perming. Root winding on top to take tubular heaters, Point winding on sides to take croquignole heaters. 1934

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  State-of-the-Art Machine made by Icall in 1934, fitted with Bakelite heaters and a timer which compensated for the type of hair and other factors. The wheels were designed to avoid pick-up of hair from the salon floor. The design incorporated 15 tubular heaters and 6 croquignole.

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  A Wireless Permanent-Waving Machine designed by Icall in 1934, in which the heaters were disconnected before applying to the head, known as the "falling-heat" method. The heaters were bulkier so as to store more heat, since they began to cool as soon as applied. The heat was controlled according to the type of hair by a thermostat control.

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  Permanent wave machine invented in 1928 by Marjorie Joyner — The first African American woman to receive a patent

See also

In Spanish: Peinado ondulado para niños