What's the difference between a perm and a body wave?

Answer by  LenaRenneker (210)

The only difference is the size of the rods. The chemicals and process are the same and it is just as damaging to your hair as bleaching it. Sometimes a perm can be used purely for body, but the results are rarely what the client had in mind. It will not give you big, beautiful, supermodel waves.

Answer by  kimber18 (514)

A perm is a tighter curl than that of a wave. A body wave is just as described, it gives your hair body and some wave as opposed to curls. The wave uses a much larger radius curler than a perm curler does. You just decide if you want curly or wavy.

Answer by  BLiever (81)

The only difference is the technique used to wrap the hair around the rod, the size of the rod and the pattern used to place the rods on the head.

Answer by  katdog (294)

A perm and a body wave are the same thing. They are just different terms. You can ask for a looser perm, and it would turn out more wavy than a tight perm.

Answer by  Tiara (351)

A perm will make your hair bone straight and a body wave will put waves in your hair. Since your hair is already straight, use the body wave.

Answer by  GEETZ (388)

The difference is that perm makes the hair fluffy and a body wave will give you curly perm hair that will not give a fluffy look. As you have thick straight hair a body wave is better for you.