Perms (short for permanent) are a hair treatment that alters the curl pattern and texture of hair via chemical intervention.

The most common perm techniques included a cold or heat wave, said Elias-Porter. Cold perms require the stylist to place rods and rollers in the hair before placing a chemical solution to alter ...

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The curls are achieved through a procedure called the cold perm, which can take up to one to two hours, but do less damage to hair.

The ceramic, or cold, perm uses no heat and a less damaging alkaline solution. Cold perms will give tight, vintage-looking curls, while hot perms tend to look more natural. Both approaches end ...

Of course, perms have changed since then. There was the home perm, and the cold perm, and then came the 1980s. (Soundbite of music) Everybody's doing a brand new dance now, come on baby ...