Need some help!

I'd still take a pic in!!!!!
And dampen hair withRedken spray starch on before rollers//////get more texture and more longer lasting hold!!

Hi Nova! Welcome to the board!

Sounds like we have similar hair. I've often thought of getting mine cut and getting a perm as well, but I've held off because my goal right now is to grow it waist length.

Anyway. Have you tried soft rollers? That's really the only thing that works for me. I got a set of Wrap, Snap and Go rollers (as seen on TV! ) and I take a shower in the evening. When my hair is ALMOST dry, but not quite totally, I set it in the rollers and wear them all night as I sleep.
I sleep on my side, so I try to position them towards the center of my head, so I don't have to rest on lumps.

Then in the morning, just take the rollers, run your fingers through, and Voila! Hair that stays bouncy and curly most of the day. Unfortunately, it does fall out by around 3 or 4pm, regardless of whether I use hairspray or not.

If you do decide to get a perm, I'd definitely bring in photographs of the look you're going for. Everyone has different definitions of tight or loose or wavy curls.
It's been a long time since I got a perm, but I recall having to ask for tighter curls than I really wanted, because after a few days, it really fell out a lot.

Good luck!
Traci

I have extremely limp, flat hair. It is shinny, dark brown and little past my shoulders. It looks really good when I can get it to look full, but it is hard to get it that way.

I am thinking of getting a perm, but I don't know what to ask for. I want a light perm, not really tight curls. More like small, light curls that hang straight down, but not really big. Curls that look really informal I guess. I don't want 80's hair though. I also want to be able to blow dry my hair straight sometimes.

Any ideas on how to achieve this look or what I should ask for?