If you’re a guy who’s new to having a perm, here’s some good news—yes, you can sleep with a perm without completely flattening or frizzing it out. And, to help you out, we’ve listed lots of great tips for sleeping with and caring for your perm. Give them a try so you can keep your man perm looking awesome for weeks or even months to come!

1

Switch to a satin or silk pillowcase.

5

Gather longer hair into a “pineapple” to protect it.

  1. Secure your hair on top of your head so you don’t squash it. The “pineapple” hairdo is a classic way to care for permed hair at night. Start by gathering your hair on top of your head between your crown and forehead—this may be easier to do if you bend over completely. Then secure the hair in place with a loose satin scrunchie or a satin scarf that you wrap loosely at the base of the gathered hair.[5]
    • Wrap your hair as loosely as you can while still keeping it in place. This will limit damage to your perm in the area where you use the scrunchie or scarf.
    • This technique works great in combination with other perm-protecting options like using a sleep bonnet.
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9

Wash your hair no more than 1-2 times weekly.

  1. Over-washed, fragile hair is more susceptible to overnight damage. Permed hair gets dry and damaged more easily, and shampooing strips even more moisture away, even if you use conditioner. To help maintain your perm and the health of your hair, aim to wash it only once—or maybe twice—per week.[9]
    • The stylist who does your perm will probably tell you not to wash your hair (or even get it wet) for at least 3 days afterward. This gives the perm treatment time to fully set, so follow these instructions carefully.
    • If your hair needs a cleaning between washings, use a dry shampoo.
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12

De-tangle with a wide-tooth comb or fingertips.

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do you maintain permed hair?
    Steven Waldman
    Steven Waldman
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Steven Waldman is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Director of Technical Training at Hair Cuttery. Steven uses his creative insight and extensive experience to drive educational programming and motivates facilitators and learners to communicate effectively, create and execute strategies to maximize potential, and achieve success. He uses unexpected sources such as art genres, architecture, and cooking to inspire shape, color, and cuts.
    Steven Waldman
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Expert Answer
    Do not wash your hair during the first 48 hours after having it permed—that will give your curl more resiliency and durability. After that, keep being gentle with your hair, and make sure it gets enough moisture. When you shampoo it, use massage motions instead of rubbing, and apply a moisurizing conditioner. Don't rub your hair with a towel, don't overstretch it, and always comb it with a wide-tooth comb.
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About This Article

Steven Waldman
Co-authored by:
Professional Hair Stylist
This article was co-authored by Steven Waldman and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Steven Waldman is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Director of Technical Training at Hair Cuttery. Steven uses his creative insight and extensive experience to drive educational programming and motivates facilitators and learners to communicate effectively, create and execute strategies to maximize potential, and achieve success. He uses unexpected sources such as art genres, architecture, and cooking to inspire shape, color, and cuts. This article has been viewed 21,274 times.
4 votes - 25%
Co-authors: 2
Updated: August 2, 2022
Views: 21,274
Categories: Curly Hair | Sleep Health
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