What You Can Actually Change About Your Hair

You cannot change your hair type permanently—the texture you were born with is determined by genetics and the shape of your hair follicles, which stay the same throughout your life. However, you can make your hair look and behave like a different type through chemical treatments, styling methods, and maintenance routines. The results range from temporary (wash-out in a few weeks) to semi-permanent (lasting several months with upkeep), but none of them alter your actual hair structure at the root.

Understanding what is actually happening when you treat your hair helps you choose the right method and care for it afterward. A relaxer or straightener breaks chemical bonds in your hair shaft, but those bonds reform as new hair grows in. A perm does the opposite—it restructures your hair into waves or curls, but again, only the hair that was treated stays changed. Your natural texture will always grow back in.

Key Takeaways

  • Chemical relaxers and perms change how your existing hair looks and feels, but new growth will always return to your natural texture.
  • Straightening treatments like keratin or Japanese straightening last three to six months and require specific maintenance to avoid damage.
  • Permanent waves (perms) create curls or waves in straight hair and typically last three to six months before fading.
  • Heat styling and protective products can mimic a different hair type temporarily without chemical treatment.
  • Damage from chemical treatments accumulates over time, so understanding the risks before you start is essential.

Chemical Relaxers for Straightening Curly Hair

A relaxer is a chemical treatment that breaks the bonds holding your hair in its natural curl pattern, leaving it straight or wavy. Relaxers come in different strengths—regular, mild, and super—depending on how tightly curled your hair is. The stronger the relaxer, the more damage risk, so matching the right strength to your hair is important. The treatment is applied to your hair in sections, left on for 5 to 20 minutes depending on the product, then rinsed out thoroughly.

Relaxers last until new hair grows in, which means you will need touch-ups every 6 to 12 weeks as your roots grow back in their natural texture. The treated hair itself stays straight. The main risk is damage—relaxers can weaken your hair, cause breakage, and lead to hair loss if applied incorrectly or too frequently. Overlapping the relaxer onto hair that was already treated (called "double processing") is a common mistake that causes severe damage. If you choose this route, many people find a professional stylist worth the cost because they know how the process works it safely and assess your hair's condition beforehand.

Keratin Treatments and Japanese Straightening

Keratin treatments coat your hair with a protein-based product that smooths the cuticle and reduces frizz, making curly or wavy hair appear straighter and shinier. These are gentler than relaxers because they do not permanently alter your hair's structure—they sit on top of it. Keratin treatments last about three months and gradually wash out. The process takes two to four hours at a salon and involves explore the product, letting it dry, then flat-ironing your hair in sections to seal it in.

Japanese straightening (also called thermal reconditioning) is a more intensive process that uses heat and chemicals to restructure your hair more permanently than keratin. It lasts four to six months and works better on very curly hair than keratin does. The downside is the time commitment—the appointment can take four to eight hours—and the cost, which is typically higher than a relaxer. Like relaxers, Japanese straightening requires careful maintenance and touch-ups as new hair grows in.

Permanent Waves (Perms) for Creating Curls

A perm (permanent wave) does the opposite of a relaxer: it uses chemicals to restructure straight hair into curls or waves. The process involves wrapping your hair around rods of different sizes, explore a chemical solution, waiting 15 to 30 minutes, then rinsing and explore a neutralizer to lock in the curl. The result lasts three to six months as your hair grows out, then gradually relaxes back to straight.

Perms work best on hair that is in good condition because the chemicals can be harsh. Fine or damaged hair may break or become overly frizzy. The curl tightness depends on the rod size—smaller rods create tighter curls, larger rods create loose waves. After a perm, your hair needs extra moisture and protein to stay healthy, and you should avoid washing it for 48 hours after the treatment to let the curl set. Many people find that perms look best for the first month or two, then gradually loosen as the hair grows and is washed repeatedly.

Heat Styling and Temporary Methods

If you want to change your hair type without chemicals, heat styling can temporarily transform your hair. A flat iron straightens curly hair, a curling iron or wand creates waves or curls in straight hair, and a blow dryer with the right technique can add volume or smooth frizz. These methods last until you wash your hair or it gets wet, making them completely reversible. The trade-off is time—styling your hair this way every day takes 20 to 45 minutes depending on your hair length and thickness.

Heat styling does carry a damage risk if you do not use heat protectant products first. A heat protectant spray creates a barrier between your hair and the hot tool, reducing moisture loss and breakage. Ceramic or tourmaline tools heat more evenly than basic metal ones and cause less damage. If you style with heat daily, your hair will gradually become drier and more prone to breakage, so deep conditioning treatments once a week are important. This method is best for occasional use or for people who want to test whether they actually like a different hair type before committing to chemicals.

Damage and Hair Health Considerations

Every method that changes your hair type carries some risk of damage. Chemical treatments (relaxers, perms, Japanese straightening) alter your hair's protein structure, which weakens it. Heat styling damages the outer layer of your hair (the cuticle) and can cause moisture loss. Combining methods—for example, relaxing your hair and then heat-styling it daily—multiplies the damage risk.

Signs that your hair is being damaged include excessive breakage, split ends that appear higher up the hair shaft than normal, a straw-like texture, loss of shine, and hair that tangles easily. Once your hair is damaged, the only real fix is to cut off the damaged portion—no product can repair broken protein bonds. This is why many people who use chemical treatments eventually cut their hair shorter as the treated portions break off. If you notice damage starting, the best step is to stop the treatment, cut off the most damaged hair, and focus on deep conditioning and protective styling (like braids or buns) to let your hair recover.

Choosing Between Methods

Your choice depends on how permanent you want the change, how much time and money you can spend, and your hair's current condition. If your hair is already damaged or fine, heat styling or keratin treatments are safer starting points than relaxers or perms. If you want a change that lasts several months without daily styling, a relaxer, perm, or Japanese straightening makes sense—but plan for touch-ups and maintenance. If you want to experiment without commitment, heat styling or temporary products (like mousse for curls or smoothing creams) let you test a new look for a day or a week.

Cost varies widely. Heat styling tools cost $30 to $200 one time. Keratin treatments run $150 to $300 per appointment. Relaxers and perms at a salon cost $75 to $200. Japanese straightening is typically $300 to $800. If you are on a tight budget, learning to heat-style your own hair or using temporary products is the most affordable route. If you choose a chemical treatment, paying for a professional process is usually worth it because mistakes can cause serious damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my hair go back to normal if I stop treating it?

Yes, but only the new hair that grows in will be your natural texture. The hair that was already treated stays changed until it grows out and you cut it off. If you got a relaxer, your roots will be curly while the rest of your hair is straight until you either relax the roots or cut off the straight hair. This is why people with chemical treatments need touch-ups every few months.

Can I relax my hair and then perm it?

Technically yes, but it is very risky. Relaxed hair is already weakened, and explore a perm on top of it can cause severe breakage and hair loss. Most stylists will refuse to do this or will require you to cut off the relaxed hair first. If you want to change your hair type again, it is safer to let the previous treatment grow out and cut it off before starting a new one.

What is the safest way to change my hair type?

Heat styling with a heat protectant is the safest because it is completely reversible and does not alter your hair's structure. If you want something longer-lasting, keratin treatments are gentler than relaxers or perms because they do not permanently change your hair—they wash out over time. Always start with a professional stylist who can assess your hair's condition and recommend the right method for you.

How do I care for my hair after a chemical treatment?

Use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, deep condition once a week, avoid heat styling for at least a week after the treatment, and minimize washing to two or three times per week. Protective styling (braids, buns, twists) reduces breakage. If your hair starts feeling dry or breaking, cut off the damaged portions and focus on conditioning rather than continuing to style it.

Can I change my hair type without chemicals or heat?

Not permanently. You can use styling products like mousse, gel, or curl cream to enhance your natural texture or create temporary waves, but these wash out. Braiding your hair while wet and leaving it in overnight creates waves that last a day or two. These methods work best if your hair is already somewhat wavy or curly—they enhance what you have rather than create something entirely new.