perm cost

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Perm? | Complete Pricing Guide

You’re probably wondering, “how much does it cost to get a perm?” if you’re considering getting curls on your gorgeous hair. Perms are available in a variety of styles and prices. However, there is an easy answer. The typical perm cost ranges between $40 to $200; however, most people may pay around $80.

Because there are so many various alternatives and factors, there is an extensive perm price range. The total cost is determined by the length of your hair, the type of perm you want, and whether you choose a partial or full perm.

How much does a perm cost? A partial perm is less expensive than a full perm, and a shorter hair perm cost is less expensive than a long hair perm cost. Perms may evoke images of the 1980s and 1990s, but they’re back with a passion nowadays.

Perms today come in various curls, waves, and coils to suit your style. Every morning, you can wake up with a smooth, beachy wave far away from the super-duper perm you had in seventh school.

If you prefer tight curls with an extra bounce, a spiral perm is a way to go. Because there are so many varieties of perms, you’ll want to research each one and how much they cost before visiting a salon.

From gentle waves to tiny ringlets, you have a lot of options. You can request any type of curl you want as long as you know what to ask your hairdresser for.

Keep reading to learn more about perms, including how they work, the numerous varieties of perms available, and how much it costs to get a perm.

How much does a perm cost

How Do Perms Work?

Chemicals are used to alter the hair texture in perms. While the chemicals are applied, the perm solution keeps the hair in the curvature of the perm rods used to “train” the hair.

It accomplishes this by breaking the disulfide bonds in the hair with alkaline or acidic chemicals. As a result, it’s malleable and straightforward to retain in a unique curvature. If the perm solution contains acidic ingredients, heat is used to activate it.

After allowing the perm solution to sit on the hair and enter it, a neutralizer is applied to stop the chemical processing and oxidize the disulfide bonds in the hair. Read about How To Perm Hair Without Rods?

The final results are influenced by the size of the perm rod and the potency of the perm solution (or waving lotion) used. Smaller rods produce tighter curls, whereas larger rods provide soft waves or more volume in the hair.

How perms work

How Much Does A Perm Cost By Its Perms Curls Type?

How expensive is a perm? Perm cost varies on a few factors, but here’s an estimate of how much different styles of perms price on average. Remember that the lower end of the scale represents short hair (or partial perms), while the upper end represents long hair.

How Much Does A Body Wave Perm Cost?

Body Wave Perm

The body wave perm price for short hair ranges between  $30-$100, whereas the body wave perm cost for long hair ranges between $40-$200.

How Much Does A Spiral Perm Cost?

Spiral Perm

The spiral perm price for short hair ranges between  $50-$200, whereas the spiral perm cost for long hair ranges between $80-$200.

How Much Does A Stack or Multi-Textured Perm Cost?

Stack Perm

The stack or multi-textured perm price for short hair ranges between  $40-$150, whereas the stack or multi-textured perm cost for long hair ranges between $70-$250. 

How Much Does A Volumizing Perm Cost?

Volumizing Perm

The volumizing perm price for short hair ranges between $50-$150, whereas the volumizing perm cost for long hair ranges between $60-$250.

How Much Does A Root Perm Cost?

Root Perm

The root perm price for short hair ranges between $30-$80, whereas root perm cost for long hair ranges between $80-$250. 

How Much Does A Spot Or Partial Perm Cost?

Partial Perm

The spot or partial perm price for short hair ranges between $30-$95, whereas the spot or partial perm cost for long hair ranges between $80-$150. 

How Much Does A Straight Perm Cost?

Straight Perm

The straight perm price ranges between $100-$200.

How Much Does A Digital Perm Cost?

Digital Perm

The digital perm price ranges from $150-$300.

Perm Cost By Hair Length

How much does it cost to get your hair permed for short, medium, or long hair? The prices are vastly different. Find out how much a perm will cost you depending on the length of your hair in the list below. 

As we mentioned above, perming short hair is less expensive than perming medium or long hair. Because longer hair will take more perm lotion and neutralizer, the longer it takes to roll the hair on perm rods.

The price is higher since the stylists will use more resources and spend more time performing the job (though this is plain sense).

Long Hair Perm

Long Hair Perms
Long Hair Perms (Image Source: Pinterest)

Having a pair of curls that don’t slide is a dream for most women. A long-wave perm is also a fantastic choice. Long-haired perms have a messy, 1970s vibe that pairs well with a gleaming balayage. With this strategy, don’t be scared to show off your sources.

There are, however, various choices available to you. The first step in getting rid of perm waves or curls in long hair is to decide whether you want to uproot the perm. If the person has long hair, the best option is to utilize a perm like any other. Perfection in every phase of the perming technique is required to achieve the desired results.

How Much Are Perms For Long Hair?

The average cost of a perm for long hair ranges between $80-$250.

Short Hair Perm 

Short Hair Perms
Short Hair Perms (Image Source: Pinterest)

Short hair perming is an expensive process. Hair perms don’t always demand long tresses. If you want easy-to-manage waves, you can achieve great results with short hair. Short hair can be styled in several ways, and it’s becoming increasingly popular.

You have a lot of alternatives with a short hair perm. Consider a bob hairstyle as an example. With its changing proportions of waves, the rough perm wonderfully embodies beautiful grunge. With some short bangs and curls that look to have their distinct style, the style is taken to a whole new level. How much does it cost for a perm? Short hair perms can cost anything from $30 to $200.

How Much Do Perms Cost For Short Hair?

The average cost of a perm for short hair ranges between $30-$200.

Medium-Length Perm

Medium Length Perm
Medium Length Perm (Image Source: Pinterest)

To show off the variety of medium-length approaches, increase your texture. If you have medium-length hair, you don’t want to choose a hairstyle with overly tight curls.

However, if you have medium-length hair, loose waves perm might be preferable to coiled waves. This will make your hair much easier to handle.

How much is a loose perm? However, you’re concerned about the expense of these perms. There are many various varieties of perms, and the purpose of this article is to tell you how much each type costs. Medium-length hair perms price starts at $90 and goes up to $200.

How Much Does A Perm Cost For Medium-Length Hair?

The average cost of a perm for medium-length hair ranges between $90-$200.

Types of Perms

When we deal with specific forms of perms, we usually characterize them in two ways. The first factor is the chemical solution and heat treatment used to curl or wave the hair permanently.

This is what we’ll talk about in this section. We’ll then explore the many curl styles that perms can provide.

Cold Perm Or Alkaline Perm

A perm lotion or solution with a pH of 8.2 to 9.6 is used in alkaline, ceramic, or cold perms. The curls are created without heat, hence the “cold perm.”

Ammonium thioglycolate is a potent alkaline compound found in cold perms. Cold perm spiral curls tend to be more stable and have more volume than hot perm curls.

alkaline wave or cold wave

Hot Perm Or Acid Perm 

Acid perms employ an acidic chemical named glyceryl monothioglycolate rather than an alkaline one. An acid perm mixture or lotion’s pH varies from 4.5 to 7. The curls must be fixed with heat (thus, the term “hot perm”).

It is gentler on the hair than a cold perm, making it ideal for those with damaged hair. The varieties of curls that can be achieved with hot perms are more varied. 

Acid Perm

Exothermic Perm

Acidic or alkaline exothermic perms exist. When the perm solution is mixed, it produces chemical heat, distinguishing them. Once the hair is twisted around perm rods, the chemical heat opens the hair shaft and forms the curls.

Digital Perm

One of the most recent perm trends is digital perms. They’re a form of perm that’s hot. After the acidic perm mixture is applied, the hair is coiled around digitally temperature-controlled perm rods. Because these digital perm rods are costly, expect a digital perm to be more expensive than previous types.

DIGITAL PERM

What Are The Types of Perm Curls?

Types Of Perms Curls
Types Of Perms Curls (Image Source: Pinterest)

How much do perms cost at a salon? We’ll now look at the different types of curls you can achieve using a perm. There are a lot of alternatives, so when you go to the salon, make sure you know what kind of curl or wave you want. If you don’t want to use a flat iron, you can obtain a straight perm.

Body Wave Perm

Instead of tight curls, body wave perms create smooth, voluminous waves. Consider a body wave perm if your hair loses volume or is pin-straight.

Stylists will give you a body wave perm using an acid or hot perm solution and large perm rods for the most excellent results. The rods will be positioned in a natural pattern rather than in exact rows to give your hair a relaxed look.

I Got A Wavy Perm For The First Time

Spiral Perm

Spiral perms offer bouncy curls on hair, similar to curling iron curls. Alkaline or cold perm solutions are used for these perms.

The perm rod size will determine the finishing curls. Spiral curls will be tighter if you use smaller rods and softer if you use larger rods.

The stylist will lay the rods in a regular pattern all over your head to keep the curls looking nice. Because these perms create robust curls, hair that is at least to your shoulders is suggested. 

Spiral perm

Stack or Multi-Textured Perm

A stack perm, also known as a multi-textured perm, uses a variety of perm rod sizes to create natural, textured curls that vary in size. To make the hair appear layered, perm it tighter in certain places and looser in others. 

MUTI-TEXTURE PERM

Volumizing Perm

A volumizing perm adds volume to hair without creating tight curls. That’s possible to accomplish with any perm solution. It’s all in how it’s brought down and neutralized that makes the difference.

The perm rods are removed before the neutralizer is applied in a volumizing perm. This gives you slight waves and more volume without the tight curls you’d get if you used the neutralizer first. 

Volume perm but keep your length

Root Perm

Root perms add volume to the hair right at the root. Only the 2-4 inches closest to the scalp are permed, rather than rolling and perming all of the hair on the head.

The hair is lifted at the root because the larger perm rods are used close to the scalp. Root perms are always cold perms because the rods must be so close to the scalp (alkaline solution).

These perms are less costly than others since they utilize fewer rods and less perm solution and neutralizer. 

Root Perm

Spot or Partial Perm

Perms that target particular portions of the hair rather than the entire head are known as a spot or partial perms. If you have curly hair straighter in some spots, you might consider a spot perm.

Spot perms are especially popular with people who have thinning hair and want to add some volume. You can even have a partial or spot perm for your hair’s ends.

This is ideal for those who like their hair’s texture but want a little extra movement at the ends. It gives you a wash-and-go look. A hot or cold perm solution can be used for spot or partial perms. 

Spot Perms

Straight Perm

You can get a straight perm, which may seem surprising given that most people equate perms with curls. This form of perm is also known as a Japanese straight perm or a reverse perm.

This hot-perm procedure may straighten your hair, whether you have wavy or curly hair or just want it to be smoother. A chemical solution is given to the hair to disrupt the cysteine bonds and allowed them to enter the cuticle (responsible for making curls). After that, you’ll sit under a dryer to warm up your hair.

The hair will be straight with a flat iron before being sprayed with a neutralizer to rebuild the hair’s bonds. The hair will stay straight till it grows out once it has been dried. 

Must Consider These Factors Before Getting a Perm

Before you get a perm, there are a few things to consider (and afterward). Having a clear understanding of what to expect will help the procedure run smoothly & ensure you get the most outstanding results from your perm.

Don’t Wash Your Hair Before 24-48 Hours

You should wait 24 to 48 hours after obtaining a perm before washing it or getting it wet. Washing your hair too quickly could cause the curls to loosen or fall out.

How Long Will Perm Last?

The health and texture of your hair play a significant role in how long the perm lasts, but you may expect 2-6 months of curls until they loosen up or fade away. 

Can Perms Dry Out Your Hair?

After receiving a perm, you’ll need to regularly moisturize and condition your hair. It’s best to use a deep moisturizing conditioner twice a week initially. After the first month, reduce it to once a week.

Not All Perms Are “Wash-And-Go.”

Specific perms may disappoint you if you want a perm, so you don’t have to style your hair. Spiral, root, and multi-textured perms will need some style to look their best.

Alkaline Perms Stink

Alkaline-based perm treatments may produce excellent results, but they stink. The odor has been described as rotten eggs or skunks. The ammonia in the solution causes this odor, so be prepared for it or go for a hot (acidic) perm instead.

Don’t Highlight After Perm

Perms alter your hair’s chemical structure, which might be harmful. So you’ll want to wait a few months before having any more chemical treatments on your hair.

First Ask For Recommendations

Even if you know what kind of curls you demand from a perm, ask your hairdresser for advice on which one would look best on you. They might suggest something you hadn’t thought about before. 

Don’t Get A Perm Until You’re Very Confident

Perms can last up to six months, which is a long time to be trapped with a style you don’t like. Before getting a perm, make sure you’re committed to long-term curls.

FAQs

How Much Is A Curly Perm?

The average curly perm cost ranges between $60-$200.

How Much Does A Wave Perm Cost?

The average wave per cost ranges from $30 to $200.

How Much Is A Perm For A Boy?

How much does a perm cost for guys? Male perms can cost anywhere from $40 to $150, with the average costing around $70. The cost of a perm is determined by hair length, perm type, salon locations, and stylist skill.

How Much Do Perms Cost At A Salon?

A perm costs on average $80, with most consumers paying between $60 and $250. The cost varies tremendously depending on the location (and even by zip code). Get price estimates from local perm stylists.

How Much Is A Perm For Shoulder Length Hair?

The typical cost of a perm is $40 to $200. Because there are so many various alternatives and factors, there is an extensive price range. The total cost is determined by the length of your hair, the type of perm you have, and whether you choose a partial or full perm.