Permanent Waving: Process of chemically re-forming

straight hair to curly hair

Introduction

A permanent wave is a chemical process designed for hair to make it wavy, or curly [ CITATION Cam09 \l
1033 ]. This process is also known as a perm. The chemical composition of hair is altered by the use
chemicals in order to break bonds within a hair strand. An oxidizing agent is placed onto the hair to
reform the broken bonds to their new position, thus resulting in a curl. In order to complete the process of
a permanent wave, two steps must be completed: first, wrapping the hair on perm rods to cause physical
change and second, using permanent waving solution and neutralizer to cause chemical change
[ CITATION Tho04 \l 1033 ].

Chemical Makeup of Hair

Hair is an extension of the skin and is made of hard, keratinized protein. Hard keratin forms the chemical
makeup of hair. Hair is made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen. Protein comes from
food and is carried to the hair by blood vessels. Amino acids are organic substances that for the building
blocks for protein. Healthy hair has 18 or more of these amino acids [ CITATION Che06 \l 1033 ].

Amino acids form proteins from beneath the scalp. Peptide linkages take place from the product of
chemical reactions. Cross-bonds hold peptide linkages together. The hair has three types of cross-bonds:
cyctine, hydrogen, and salt. Polypeptide bonds are formed when the cross-bonds join together.
Polypeptide bonds are broken and re-formed by both physical and chemical reactions. Hydrogen bonds
can be broken when hair is wet and stretched around a roller. The bonds will re-form in a curl position as
the hair dries [ CITATION Tho04 \l 1033 ].

Cystine is an amino acid that can only be broken chemically when a reducing agent (A substance that
chemically reduces other substances, especially by donating an electron or electrons) is applied to hair.
Oxidation then re-forms the bonds. When permanent waving, bonds are broken by ammonium
thioglycolate (waving lotion) and re-formed by hydrogen peroxide (neutralizer) [ CITATION Che06 \l 1033
].

Disulfide bonds form between two cystein sulfur atoms that are neighboring polypeptide chains. Disulfide
bonds are strong side bonds and are not broken from heat or water but makes permanent waving possible.
Salt bonds are weak side bonds and can be broken by changes in pH [ CITATION Tho04 \l 1033 ].
 +Hydrogen- Bond

+Salt- Bond

Disulfide Bond

Side Bonds

Wrapping of Hair

There are two tools that are involved with wrapping a perm: a rod and end papers (absorbent papers used
to control the ends of hair). Before the hair is wrapped it must be wet down with the use of water in order
for hydrogen bonds to broken to so the hair can be wrapped in the desired shape. Tension of the hair when
wrapping is important because it is what determines the amount of curl. The hair is sectioned into six
panels. A panel is further divided into subsections called base sections. One perm rod resides within one
base section [ CITATION Tho04 \l 1033 ].

Rod

Chemistry of Permanent Waving

Following the wrapping of the hair, a waving solution is placed on the hair. The wave lotion is composed
of a basic reducing substance, usually ammonium thioglycolate[ CITATION Cha03 \l 1033 ]. The presence
of the glycolate is used to help with the odor released. The presence of ammonium accelerates the
exchange reaction of the thiol-disulfide. This occurs because the base (ammonium) generates some
thiolate anions. These anions attack disulfide bonds [ CITATION Wik09 \l 1033 ]. The purpose of the thiol
waving agent is to break the disulfide bonds leading to the formation of thiol groups. After an adequate
number of hair disulfide bonds have been broken, hair begins to pair previously unpaired thiol groups
opposite each other. This procedure is usually timed. After the certain time has passed and significant
bond breaking and repairing has taken place, the hair is rinsed with water. The hair must be blotted with a
towel to absorb as much water as possible. If too much moisture remains on the hair, it can prevent even
saturation of the neutralizer [ CITATION Tho04 \l 1033 ]. This allows for the removal of any remaining un-
reacted thiol waving agent. Next the hair is saturated with a neutralizer (oxidizing agent). The neutralizer
is usually hydrogen peroxide or bromate salt. This is used to reconstruct disulfide bonds between the
newly paired thiol groups. The hydrogen atoms connected to the disulfide bonds are strongly attracted to
the oxygen atoms in the neutralizer, that they release their bond with sulfur atoms. This results in the
pairing of two hydrogen with one oxygen forming water. These water molecules are removed when the
neutralizer is rinsed [ CITATION Tho04 \l 1033 ]. This results in a wave in the hair. The new configuration
of the disulfide bonds creates a permanent wave in the hair that cannot be broken by water molecules
[ CITATION Per09 \l 1033 ].

Sulfu Sulfu
Thiol Molecules
r Disulfide Bond r
Ato Ato
m m
Pairing of
Unpaired thiol
Thiolate groups
Disulfide bonds
Anions
Sulfu Sulfu Resulting in
r r curly hair
Ato Ato
m m Thiol Thiol
Disulfide
molec Bond molec
ule ule

Conclusion

The altering of hair is possible through the use of chemicals. By pairing bonds to different molecules
allows the hair to take on a permanent wave shape.
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