For decades, men with curly hair desperately tried to straighten it. Today, the opposite is true. Men with straight, flat hair are flocking to salons to get chemical perms.
The stigma of the 1980s poodle perm is completely gone. In 2026, perms are used strategically to add volume, texture, and soft waves to modern haircuts. If you're tired of your hair laying flat against your head, here are 5 perm hairstyles you need to see.
1. The Korean Wave Perm
Made globally famous by K-Pop idols and K-Drama actors. It uses large rollers to create soft, cascading waves rather than tight curls. It is usually paired with a two-block haircut.
Why it works: It looks incredibly natural. It gives the illusion that you woke up with perfectly voluminous, wavy hair.
2. The Fluffy Edgar Perm
Extremely popular among Gen Z. The hair on top is permed into tight, chaotic curls, while the front is cut into the signature blunt fringe of an Edgar cut. The sides feature a high skin fade.
Why it works: It adds massive vertical volume and chaotic texture to a haircut that was originally very rigid and flat.
3. The Permed Mullet
Business in the front, party (and curls) in the back. Perming the long hair at the back of the neck prevents it from looking stringy and thin, giving the mullet incredible bounce.
Why it works: It leans fully into the bold, rebellious nature of the mullet. Straight mullets can look greasy; permed mullets look intentionally styled.
4. The Curly Fringe (Forward Swept Perm)
The sides are tapered short, and the permed hair on top is styled heavily forward, covering the forehead in a thick canopy of messy curls.
Why it works: It is excellent for hiding a receding hairline or a large forehead, and the curls make the hair look twice as thick as it actually is.
5. The Tight Coil Perm (Curly Fade)
Using the smallest rollers available, the barber creates tight, dense ringlets on top of the head, bordered by a sharp bald fade on the sides and back.
Why it works: It provides extreme contrast between the heavily textured top and the completely bare sides. It is highly structured and athletic.
Before You Get a Perm
Chemical perms are a commitment. Once it's done, you cannot easily go back to straight hair without cutting it off or risking severe chemical damage from relaxing it.
Not sure if curls will suit your face? Don't risk a 6-month mistake. Upload a selfie to our AI Previewer and instantly try on a Wave Perm or Tight Curls today!