Here’s Your Official Guide to 11 Types of Perms

#1. First off, what is a perm?

A perm (short for permanent hairstyle) uses chemicals to change the texture of your hair. The process involves breaking down the molecular bonds in each strand and resetting them to your desired pattern, so you can turn straight hair into curls or waves. Whether you get a hot or a cold perm, rods and rollers will be applied to your strands to get the job done.

#2. What’s the difference between a hot vs. a cold perm?

Both treatments change the texture of your hair, but the processes are different. A cold perm uses an alkaline solution (like ammonium thioglycolate), which is applied onto dry hair before its wrapped around rods, which results in tighter, more defined curls. This option tends to be more common because it’s cheaper and quicker than hot perms. A hot perm uses an acidic solution (like glyceryl monothioglycolate), which is applied onto wet hair, but your strands are wrapped around heated rods instead. This process creates larger, looser curls and is often less damaging due to the solution that’s used. A hot perm also tends to yield more natural-looking results and is a great choice for fine or damaged strands.

#3. What type of perm should I get?

The type of perm you should get comes down to a few factors: your hair length and texture, whether you want to focus on your whole head or specific sections and what you’re trying to achieve with the perm. (I.e., Are you looking to create more volume, bounce, curls, waves or all of the above?) You also want to consider how long you want to rock your perm, as some last for two months, while others can last for up to a year.

Lest you start to feel overwhelmed, we’ll walk you through a guide to the 11 different types of perms you can get below.

#4 Spiral Perm

This classic perm yields tight, corkscrew-shaped curls. It’s typically favored by people with shoulder-length and longer hair, as the style can make your locks appear shorter. The technique uses a strong chemical solution and your hair is wrapped vertically around rods to achieve a spiral pattern. Since the spiral perm is very time-consuming to do (it can take about two to five hours), it requires the most maintenance out of the bunch. However, results can last around six months.

#5 Beach Wave Perm

You don’t have to make a trip to the beach to get massive waves. A beach wave perm provides that soft, tousled look (only it lasts up to four months, as opposed to one day). If you have straight hair and need a volume boost, the stylist will apply foam rollers and a chemical solution to create that loose, bouncy effect.

#6 Body Wave Perm

Have a tough time holding a curl? Similar to the beach wave perm, this treatment creates bigger, looser waves. The body wave perm uses large rollers (or rods) to add volume and shape to super straight strands. It’s one of the most popular perms because you get a natural-looking wave and it’s fairly low-maintenance, as results last between three to five months.

#7 Digital Perm

The perm is one of the newer styles you can get. Trademarked in Japan in 2007, the digital perm has since made its way to other parts of the world. The longest lasting of the bunch, with results lasting for up to a year, this high-tech perm uses gentler chemicals that recondition and repair hair (unlike many traditional perms that rely on harsh chemicals). Strands are wrapped around temperature-controlled rods to create loose waves and overall, more voluminous tresses. The biggest downside? The process takes several hours to complete and is among the most expensive perms on the list.

#8 Pin Curl Perm

While anyone can enjoy this retro perm, people with shorter hair tend to benefit most from the tighter, bouncier ringlets it creates. Instead of rods or rollers, bobby pins and clips are used to get the curls into shape. Another reason to consider this perm: Fewer and less harsh chemicals are used and it only takes about 20 minutes, so you can spend less time in the salon. Results last for about three to six months.

#9 Spot Perm

Spot perm (also known as the partial perm) targets a specific section of your hair. Whether you’re just looking to add volume at the crown of your head or need help covering an area that’s thinning, chemicals and rods are used only in that area. This type of perm can also be helpful for curly gals who want to create a more uniform look all around. Since you’re only perming a portion of your hair, touch ups are recommended every few weeks.

#10 Root Perm

Another partial perm, this one only deals with the roots. To add lift, the solution is applied two to four inches away from the scalp before the section is wrapped around perm rods. Similar to the spot perm, it’s a great treatment for anyone who wants more volume but isn’t looking to perm their entire mane. You’ll also have to get regular touch ups to maintain the look.

#11 Stack Perm

Joining the partial perm family, this treatment skips the roots and focuses on the mid-shaft and ends of the hair to create the illusion of layers. To achieve the look, perm rods of different sizes are applied throughout various sections of your hair. As a result, you get more depth and dimension that last between four and five months.

#12 Multi-Textured Perm

This multi-textured style is similar to a stack perm in that it also yields a layered look and a variety of rods are used to create a combination of tight and loose curls throughout the mane that lasts for several months. It’s a great choice for medium-length and longer locks because it really allows you to show off the layers.

#13 Volumizing Perm

As its name implies, this type of perm provides voluminous waves and is a great option for people with fine, flat hair. A variety of rods are used to create loose curls and bounce throughout. While it uses the same strong chemical solutions as the spiral perm, it only lasts around six weeks and requires regular touch ups to keep the shape.

#14 Straight Perm

This one is the complete opposite of the other types of perms on this list. Also known as the “reverse perm,” a straight perm turns natural curly hair straight. This hot perm uses an alkaline solution to break down the bonds, but this time, it stretches out the curly or wavy patterns in your hair. Along with the chemicals, a flat iron is used to straighten strands for a sleeker style. Although the treatment takes at least six hours to complete, the look lasts for three to six months.