5 Surprising Facts About Showering After a Perm

Selah Vaughn

April 7, 2025

Question from a reader:

Hi Cindy, I’ve taken the curly plunge and treated my usually straight locks to a perm, which I adore! Although, I’m a bit anxious about my daily shower routine. Could you shed some light on whether my new curls will withstand a daily shower or will they retreat back to their original straight state post-shower?

Deanna Jimney
Lake Charles, Louisiana

Hello Deanna,

It is best to avoid washing your hair for 48 hours after a perm.

If you wash your hair after getting a perm it will not necessarily go back to the way it was before but the curl will significantly decrease.

If you get a perm and don’t like how tight the curls are, washing your hair can help relax them. But remember, washing won’t bring your hair back to how it was before. You will likely still have some loose curls until the perm completely fades. This method only helps if your curls are too tight. It’s not a guaranteed fix if you’re unhappy with your perm.

Here are two other options if you don’t like your perm:

Try using a straightening product if you find the curl is too tight, this might weigh hair down enough to pull a bit of the curl out. When drying, work on using a round brush at the roots to smooth out and add volume and keep a bit of the curl on the ends.

Use a big barrel curling iron after your hair is dry. This will give you more of a loose, wavy curl versus a tight curl.

5 Surprising Facts About Showering After a Perm

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