It is very difficult to perm really short hair. The hair must be long enough to wrap around the perm rods and remain around the perm rods until the entire process completes. Short hair has a tendency to spring out of the perm rod, making it nearly impossible to perm. If the hair unwinds from the perm rod at any point during processing, rinsing, blotting and neutralizing, the hair will not perm.

On the Other: Perm Possibilities

If you can wrap around a perm rod two and a half times and the hair remains in place, you can receive a perm. Normally, this occurs only in hair that is two inches in length or longer. However, small perm rods can be used to perm hair that is slightly shorter than two inches. Saturating the hair with perm solution before wrapping softens the hair and helps it remain wrapped during the perm.

Bottom Line

If your hair is two inches long or more, you can get a perm. Smaller perm rods and wrapping with solution will make the process easier. Extremely coarse and stubborn hair will spring out from the perm rod before fine hair will. If you can wrap your hair, and the hair stays in place around the perm rod, you can perm your hair even if it is really short.

Source:

"Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology;" Milady, Diane Carol Bailey, Margrit Attenburg; 2008