A cold perm, also known as a traditional perm, is the process that makes hair curly.
The cold perm, being the most common type, relies on a chemical process to reshape the hair. Here's a breakdown:
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Wrapping: Hair is first wrapped around plastic rods of various sizes, depending on the desired curl size and tightness.
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Application of Alkaline Solution: An alkaline solution (also called a perm solution or waving lotion) is then applied to the hair. This solution breaks down the disulfide bonds within the hair's protein structure. These bonds are responsible for the hair's natural shape.
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Restructuring: While the bonds are broken, the hair takes on the shape of the rod it's wrapped around.
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Neutralization: A neutralizing solution (neutralizer) is applied to stop the perming process. This solution reforms and hardens the disulfide bonds, locking the hair into its new curly shape.
Therefore, the "cold perm" process, using alkaline solutions, is what fundamentally makes hair curly. The specific tightness and style of the curl depends on the size of the rods and other factors, like application technique.
