What is a down perm?

A down perm is a chemical treatment that flattens hair which sticks out at the sides and back of the head. It does not add curl or wave. For men with thick or coarse hair that lifts away from the skull as it grows, it is often the single thing that makes a good haircut stay good.

What it actually does

Most perms are designed to add movement. A down perm is the exception: it relaxes the hair's natural lift so it sits closer to the head. The chemistry is the same family as a soft perm, but the hair is set flat rather than around a rod.

The area treated is usually small — the sides above the ears, sometimes the back of the crown. It is not a whole-head treatment, and it is not the same as rebonding, which straightens the full length.

Who it suits

• Thick or wiry hair that flares outwards two or three weeks after a cut
• Hair that sticks out above the ears — the most common reason men ask for it
• Anyone growing out a short back and sides, where the awkward middle stage is mostly caused by lift
• Men who use product every day just to keep the sides down — this removes the need

It is less useful if your hair is fine, already lies flat, or if what you actually dislike is the shape of the cut rather than the volume.

What it does not do

It will not straighten curly hair. If your hair is genuinely curly and you want it straight, you are looking for rebonding, which is a different treatment at a different price and takes considerably longer.

It will not fix a bad cut. A down perm changes how hair behaves, not how it is shaped. If the outline is wrong, the perm makes a wrong outline lie flatter.

How long it takes, and how long it lasts

The treatment itself takes about forty minutes to an hour, and it is almost always done alongside a haircut rather than on its own — there is no point setting hair flat and then cutting the shape afterwards.

It lasts roughly two to three months, depending on how fast your hair grows and how short the sides are. As new growth comes through, the lift returns from the root, so most men have it redone every second or third cut rather than every visit.

What it costs

Across Singapore a down perm generally runs between $40 and $80 depending on the salon and how much of the head is treated. It is one of the cheaper chemical services, which is part of why it is worth trying before committing to anything more drastic.

Aftercare

Leave it dry for the first day — no washing, no swimming. After that it needs nothing special. Because the hair is set flat rather than curled, there is no styling routine to maintain and no product required, which is rather the point.