Those who have naturally straight hair often like to add a bit of a wave or perm to make their hair more detailed and beautiful. Hair perming is a chemical and heat treatment; it needs proper care and particular hairstyles to keep the hair evenly permed.
So, ”Can you braid permed hair?” might be the most asked question of those who want to perm their hair or have already done it recently. Keep reading to know the answer.
Can You Braid Permed Hair?
The short answer is yes you can braid your permed hair, but there is more to consider before you attempt this. A loose braid can actually help to make your curls hold shape longer. But tight braids are not recommended for permed hair as they can ruin your curls.
How Does Hair Perming Work?
Generally, hair perming is of two types – single-action and dual-action. The single-action perming is for straighter European and Asian hair. On the other hand, dual-action perming is for African hair structures.
Though they are different, every type of hair perming goes through a general procedure, and here we will discuss how this process actually works.
- At first, the hair needs to be softened to make it easy to add waves and curls. A perm lotion is applied to the hair strands that enter the cortex by swelling the cuticle layers.
- The perm lotion breaks the disulfide bonds of the hair surface into sulfide bonds, making the hair ready to take a new shape.
- After keeping the hair rolled by perm rods, perm lotion is removed, and a neutralizer is applied to the hair. This product works opposite of the perm lotion and regenerates the disulfide bonds to make the hair fixed into a new shape.
Braiding Permed Hair
Though hair perming is a chemical-induced hair treatment, the waves and curls you have after perming become like your natural hair wave patterns. A stable perm on your hair can bear all the natural hairstyles, yet you need to be cautious and discuss it with your hairstylist.
Braiding can create uneven waves on the permed hair if the treatment is done recently because perming makes your hair more delicate and prone to damage. But proper maintenance and regular conditioning can improve the stability of your permed hair.
Whether or not you can braid your permed hair basically depends on the type of braid you want to have. If you want regular braids (French, Dutch, or fishtail braids), you don’t need to think so much because these braids need average thick sections of hair without hurting the waves you got after perming.
But if you are into micro braids, then there is definitely something you should be concerned about. Because they need really tiny sections of hair, making the perms get negatively affected.
Final Words
Hair perming gives your hair a new shape, and it might be stressful for that hair to get braided. But after you have passed 2-3 weeks of perm treatment, you can try braiding into regular styles. So, can you braid permed hair? I hope you have got your query answered.
Take care of your permed hair, and impress people with those new waves and curls.
