Translation guide
A hairstyling treatment that creates lasting curls or waves. In Japanese, the most common term is the loanword パーマ, which covers both the process and the result. There is also a more formal native term, but it is rarely used in daily conversation.
I want to get a perm.
She has a perm.
The process of chemically treating hair to create curls or waves that last for months.
The standard, everyday word for a permanent wave. It is a loanword from English and is used as a noun or with to mean 'to get a perm'.
I got a perm yesterday.
This salon is good at perms.
The full loanword form, rarely used in casual speech. It may appear in technical or formal contexts, such as beauty school materials.
I am learning permanent wave techniques.
Literally 'curly hair straightening', this is a specific type of permanent treatment that straightens naturally curly or wavy hair. It is not a general term for a perm, but it is a permanent wave process.
Many people get hair straightening treatments during the rainy season.
To say 'get a perm' or 'have a perm', use the phrase パーマをかける. The verb かける means 'to apply' in this context. You can also use パーマをする, but パーマをかける is more common.
I'm thinking of getting a perm next week.