If you have thick heavy hair, you already know the pattern. You walk out of the salon and it looks brilliant. Three weeks later it is back to being a lump. Wide at the sides. Heavy at the ends. It takes an age to dry and it never sits the way it did in the chair.
That is not bad luck. It is not your hair being awkward either. It is almost always the same mistake, made in the first ten minutes of the appointment.
Thick hair gets cut like normal hair
Most haircuts are built around length. Where do you want it to sit. How much are we taking off. That works fine on average hair.
Thick hair does not behave like average hair. The problem is rarely the length. The problem is the weight. Cut the length without moving the weight and you get a shape that looks great on day one, because it has just been dried into place, then collapses the moment you wash it at home.
So you come back and say it grew out badly. It did not grow out badly. It was never going to hold.
Weight is the thing to fix
Thick hair carries most of its bulk in two places. Around the sides, just under the ear, and through the middle of the back. Left alone, that bulk pushes the whole shape outwards and downwards.
The job is to take weight out from the inside without touching the outline. Done properly you keep your length, you lose the heaviness, and the hair starts to fall rather than sit.
Done badly, and this is the common one, someone thins the ends with a razor or thinning scissors. That removes weight from exactly the wrong place. Now you have fluffy ends and a heavy middle, and it frizzes.
Why the consultation matters more than the cut
At NOCO the consultation comes first, every single time. Before anything is cut we work out three things.
- How your hair actually grows, not how it looks when you walk in
- How much time you genuinely want to spend on it at home
- What went wrong last time, and why
That last one does most of the work. Nine times out of ten a client can describe the exact moment it stopped working, and that tells us more than any photo.
A lot of hairdressers would struggle with thick hair, which means a lot of people never find the right person. That is the bit we want to change.
Three questions to ask at your next appointment
Take these anywhere, not just here. If a stylist can answer all three, you are in good hands.
- Where is my weight sitting, and what are you doing about it
- What will this look like in four weeks, not today
- What do I need to do at home to keep it
If the answer to any of them is vague, ask again. It is your hair and you are paying for it.
Book a consultation
We are consultation led hairdressers in Clifton, Bristol, on Whiteladies Road. If your hair is thick and heavy and you are fed up with the three week collapse, come and sit down with us first. No pressure and no obligation to book anything on the day.
See how our consultation works, or book your consultation online.
Yes, a few salons in Bristol do perms. We are not one of them. Not because we cannot. Because of what a perm does to your hair. Read this first, then choose well. By the end you will know how a perm works, who it suits, and what to ask before you book anyone.
What a Perm Actually Does
Your hair gets its shape from tiny links inside each strand. Think of them like the threads that hold a rope together.
Two kinds matter here. The first kind are strong. They are called disulfide bonds. They set the natural shape of your hair, whether it is straight, wavy or curly. These bonds are hard to break. You need a chemical to do it.
The second kind are weaker. They are called hydrogen bonds. Water and heat can break these. That is what happens every time you use straighteners or a curling iron.
A perm works on the strong bonds. A perming lotion, usually one called ammonium thioglycolate, goes onto the hair. It breaks open those strong disulfide bonds. The hair is wrapped around rods. Then a second lotion, the neutraliser, sets the bonds again in a new shape. The curl is now locked in. It does not wash out.
Heat Styling Does the Same Job, Gently
Here is the part most people do not know.
When you curl your hair with a hot tool, you break the weaker hydrogen bonds. The hair holds the new shape until water or damp air resets it. No chemicals. No lasting damage.
So you can get a curl two ways. One is permanent and harsh. One is temporary and kind to your hair. For most people, the gentle way is the better way.
The Pros of a Perm
A perm has a few real upsides. You get curl or wave with no daily styling. You wake up and it is there. For people with very straight, fine hair, it can add body that is hard to get any other way. And it lasts for months.
There is a reason it is having a moment again. A lot of young men are asking for it. The skin fade with a perm on top, the look you see on footballers, is everywhere right now. On short hair, that works well. Here is why.
The Cons, and Why Long Hair Is the Problem
A perm changes your hair for good. As your hair grows, the new growth comes through straight. The curl stays on the older lengths.
On short hair this is fine. It grows out fast, you get it cut, and the permed hair is gone.
On long hair it is a different story. The roots grow in straight while the ends stay curly. After a few months you have two textures on one head. Straight at the top, curly at the bottom.
To fix it, you would perm it again. But now you hit the real risk. The second perm has to go over hair that has already been through the chemical once. You are breaking bonds that are already weak. That is when hair starts to snap and feel rough.
Why We Say No at NOCO
We build everything around hair health first. Care and condition come before anything else.
A service that weakens your hair, and gets riskier every time you repeat it, does not fit how we work. We would rather give you the look you want in a way that keeps your hair strong.
That usually means a great cut and the right styling. Most people who want a perm really want one thing. Volume. Or movement. Both can be done without touching the strong bonds in your hair.
What to Look For If You Still Want a Perm in Bristol
A perm is your choice. If you want one, that is completely fine. For the short footballer perm, a barber is your best bet. For a classic set on longer hair, look for a traditional salon. Wherever you go, choose carefully. Here is what to ask.
If a salon says yes to everything with no questions, be careful. The questions are a good sign.
Take the free NOCO Hair Score and get a clear picture of where your hair is and what it needs.
Take the Free Hair ScoreCommon Questions About Perms
Do you do perms at NOCO Hair?
No. We do not offer perms. We focus on hair health, and perms break the strong bonds inside your hair. We are happy to help you get volume or curl in a kinder way.
Where can I get a good perm in Bristol?
A few salons and barbers still offer them. For the short footballer perm, a barber is your best bet. For a classic set on longer hair, look for a traditional salon. Either way, use the checklist above. Ask for a test, ask about your hair length, and ask how they protect the condition.
Are perms bad for your hair?
One perm on short hair is usually fine. The risk grows on long hair. And it grows again every time you repeat the treatment over hair that has already been permed.
What is the footballer perm everyone is asking for?
It is a short skin fade with loose curls on top. Because the hair is short, it grows out cleanly. That makes it a lower risk look.