PERMACOLOGY: HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS AND TYPES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The permacología is the process by which the state is changed from straight hair to curly. It is commonly known as getting a permanent. This process was created more than 100 years ago by Karl Nessler, although there are already indications of this process dating back to the ancient Egyptians.

Hair has always been one of the characteristic features of women and in almost all cultures it has been adorned for different purposes. The main theme of permacology is creating perfect curls in women's hair. These curls can then be used with loose hair or on the other hand adorned it depending on the occasion.

History of permacology

The uses of permacology date back to the Ancient Ages, where Egyptian and Roman women looked for alternatives to change their hair. To carry out this process, the women used a mixture of soil and water and then wound their hair in small wooden tubes and allowed them to dry in the sun.

This process, by not changing the chemistry of the hair, was only lasting until the woman washed her hair, where the effect of the curls disappeared. The mixture they used of soil and water was a kind of hair fixative.

In 1905, the use of permacology underwent a radical change thanks to Karl Nessler. This inventor made a machine in which the hair was wound on rods and heated. The problem with this device was that it was only suitable for clients who had long hair and could wrap it well on the rods.

With the passage of the World War, fashion was changing and women opted for much shorter haircuts. In this way, the Nessler machine was no longer used by most women.

In 1926 the method of winding the hair with croquinol began to be used. Overheated staples were used with which the hair was then wrapped. In 1931, Ralph Evans started using disulfide to permanent instead of heat.

With this process, the hair was able to adopt its new shape through a chemical reaction, changing the structure of the hair.

In 1938, Arnold Willat created what is known as the first cold perm. The hair was still rolled into rods, and then a lotion was applied to it that made the hair hold that shape. While heat was not necessary, this process required 6-8 hours at room temperature for the curls to take shape.

Starting in the 1970s, the process where acidic perms contained ammonia began to be used, so that the process could be accelerated with heat.

Features and operation

Hair is made up of proteins. Each hair has a cortex that is made up of proteins that are interwoven with polypeptides that give hair strength.

Around the cortex we find the hair medulla, which is made up of different protein bonds, and the one that interests us in permacology is the natural disulfide bond.

Perming focuses on breaking disulfide bonds to reshape hair. The procedure begins by winding clean hair around a rod, which will vary in size depending on the curl we want.

Once rolled, an alkaline lotion is applied, the most widely used today is ammonium thioglycollate. This alkaline lotion is responsible for lifting the cuticle that surrounds the cortex and the hair membrane, and breaking the disulfide bonds.

Once the lotion has taken effect, it is rinsed and dried to remove excess water and a neutralizer is applied. This neutralizer is in charge of re-forming the disulfide bonds and giving the hair the new wave we want.

This last part is the most delicate process of the entire perm process and the one that needs the most attention.

Winding types

Basic winding with curler

This type of rolling is used in perms in which it is intended to give more volume to the hair. In this process, the winding section is raised between 90 and 135 degrees. This allows that in addition to creating curls, they acquire volume.

Spiral wound with curler

This type of winding is used for long hair that wants curls but without much volume.

To achieve the effect of curls without so much volume, the curlers are placed in a vertical position on the hair. In this way the curls will keep their shape but the hair will not take on more volume.

Rolled star halo

This type of winding is used to create extreme and natural curls, but with a lot of volume. This process takes more time since you have to make more divisions in the head and use different types of curlers.

Some will be placed vertically in the center of the head, and around triangular curlers will be used that will create an intricate star pattern

Trapeze roll

This roll is perfect for people with short hair, in this one only the part of the ends of the hair is curled, leaving the root intact.

This way of winding makes us start by winding the curlers at the nape of the neck, and when we wind those at the top, we will hold them to the bottom part of the head through wooden needles.

References

1. MOLERO PALANCAR, Concepción, et al. Hairdressing processes; volume II. Editorial Synthesis. Madrid, 1997.
2. GINÉS, Y. LINA: Atlas of hairdressing (volume II). Instituto Monsa de Ediciones SA.
3. HERNANDO, P.; JIMÉNEZ, I.; JIMÉNEZ, JC Hairdressing technology (I). Madrid: Videocinco, 1995, p. 116.
4. DALTON, John W.; JÄGGI, Nuria Mangada; JÄGGI, Javier Mangada. Professional hairdresser. Paraninfo, 1988.
5. CINTERO, Gabriel. Morphology and visagism: technical manual for hairdressers. Navarra Hairdressers Association, 1996.
6. CANALES, Yolanda Fernández; SOURCES, Ana Belén Talaverano; TROYA, Concepción Carrillo. Hair: changes in shape. Ediciones Paraninfo, SA, 1996.