Iowa Cosmetology Practice Exam 2026 - Free Cosmetology Practice Questions and Study Guide

The application of permanent wave solutions typically involves the use of perm rods. These tools are essential for achieving the desired curls or waves in a client's hair during the perming process. Perm rods come in various sizes, allowing a stylist to choose the appropriate rod to create different curl patterns, from tight curls to loose waves.

In the perming procedure, hair is first wrapped around these rods, and the waving solution is then applied. The solution alters the hair’s structure while it is wrapped in the rods, allowing the hair to take on the shape of the rods once processed. This combination of chemical solutions and the physical structure provided by the perm rods is what ultimately creates the lasting curls or waves.

Other tools, like flat irons or blow dryers, are not designed for this specific purpose and wouldn’t facilitate the chemical reaction needed for the perming process. A round brush is primarily used for styling and creating body and volume in hair, rather than for chemically altering its structure.