How many perm rods do I need? What size should they be?

There are two things you need to keep in mind before deciding what size and how many perm rods you’ll need to do a perm: how long your hair is and what kind of curl you want to end up with.

 

If you have long hair, down to your waist, you’ll need about 46 small perm rods.

If your hair is short or medium length, you’ll need between 24 and 36 small perm rods.

 

If you have long hair, you should need about 32 medium perm rods.

If you have short or medium length hair, you’ll need between 24 and 36 medium perm rods.

 

Depending on how much hair you have, you should use between 15 and 27 large perm rods.

 

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“I’ll be back.”

Do you know that quote?

You probably do, because it’s one of the quotes that immortalized Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terrifying Terminator.

 

But, in the world of hair care, what has come back is the perm. Yep, that same perm that famous Hollywood stars and housewives, and anyone on top of the latest trends, wore in the 80s.

The perm is back, and it’s new and improved, because the chemicals used to set the curls are much gentler. But still today, it’s important to decide what style of perm you’re looking for.

And you’ll only get the style you’re looking for if you choose the right size perm rod for the kind of curl you’re hoping to get.

 

 Because a tight curl, like a corkscrew, isn’t the same as beachy waves, one of the most sought-after styles. 

That’s why the size of the perm rod is very important, as is your hair length, since each of your locks of hair will take on the shape of curl you’re looking for, depending on how many times you roll it around the perm rod.

So, if you’re ready to get rid of that straight hair, or you’re tired of using a curling iron every single day, stick around because I’ll tell you:

 

The perm is back and today you’ll define which style you’re looking for by determining which size perm rod you’re going to use.

 

How many perm rods you should use depending on how long your hair is and what kind of curl you want

Generally hair stylists divide hair lengths into three categories:

 

So those are the parameters that we’ll use today to define what size perm rod you need to do your perm and get the shape of curl you’re looking for.

Now, how do you know what kind of curl will go best with your style?

 

Well, you can test through trial and error.

What do you need to do this experiment?

 

What style curl do you like best?

 

You can get that same style in your perm if you choose the right size perm rod.

Let’s start with short hair, which is so on trend these days thanks to pixie cuts and bobs.

 

What kind of curl do you want for your short or medium-length hair? A tight and well-defined curl?

 

The smaller and tighter the curls you want are, the smaller the perm rod, and as such, the more of them you’ll need.

 In this case, you’ll need between 24 and 36 perm rods.  

 

It’s very important to be super neat about where you separate your hair to then roll it correctly into the perm rod, starting at the ends.

 

Are you looking for looser and more natural curls?

I personally love these kinds of curls because they give your hair more natural movement and also, they you look more youthful, always a good thing.

 In that case, you’ll need medium-sized perm rods, about 18-24 of them. 

 

Now, what happens if you have long hair, say down to your waist for example?

You’ll have more options for the style of curl you want, since you can have from tight corkscrew curls all the way to wild beachy waves.

 

Long hair is fun and versatile, so you can get from fun little corkscrews all the way to much-admired beach waves.

 

 

Did you know that in colorimetry, there is a universal classification system of hair colors, that’s the same across the world, from Japan to Nigeria to countries in Latin America?

 

Well, it’s also true for perm rods.

Countries all over use the same colors to classify perm rods based on their size. Keep reading and you’ll learn how to correctly choose the ones you need when it comes time to buy them.

 

Table of perm rod colors according to size

Like I said before, perm rods are differentiated by color, and the smaller they are, the tighter your curl will be.

Smaller perm rods make tighter curls, and include:

 

You use medium and large perm rods in hair longer than 4 inches for different styles of looser curls.

 

Conclusions

In order to choose the right sized perm rod for your perm, it’s important to keep in mind the kind of curl you’re looking to get and your hair length.

Before getting a perm, use a curler to compare the different styles of curls, and to be able to better appreciate which ones goes best with your face and style.

Because the perm is back. Long live perms!

So, what size perm rods do you think are best for the perm of your dreams?