Until recently, perms and chemical straightening had fallen out of favour, with many people choosing to style after each wash rather than undergo more permanent treatments. Now, however, both techniques are making a comeback, with the reasoning being that it’s often easier and perhaps less damaging over time to have a treatment in a salon to perm or chemically straighten hair – and that it’s much easier and saves time. That said, having either is still a big process for hair and should be considered properly before booking. Here are three things worth bearing in mind before taking the plunge:

How frequently you style your hair

This is really the most crucial question to ask yourself before you either have a perm or chemical straightening treatment. Both will break and then reset bonds in the hair permanently, so it’s important to decide whether the potential damage is worth it for the result. Essentially, if you heat style your hair more than three times a week, it may be well worth opting for a permanent treatment to straighten or curl your hair instead as the damage accrued from frequently styling is likely to be worse.

Whether you have balayaged portions of hair

If you want to have either a perm or chemical straightening on balayaged portions of hair, that’s fine – but you need to consider how often you have colour applied to decide on whether the cumulative effects of both colour and adjusting the texture of your hair are for you. If you’re unsure, try leaving a month or more between either and ask your hairdresser for advice on when you should go ahead with colour after treating your hair.

How good you are at caring for your hair’s condition

This one is important. If you’re someone who will happily use a brush to gently pull through ends and diligently uses hair masks, your hair will be able to withstand a lot more than hair that’s pulled at and left parched. Also, consider switching to a surfactant-free shampoo to keep hair as hydrated as possible.