oh, Babyfine - PLEASE listen the the sage advice of your fine-haired 'sisters' in regard to perms!!!!!
I have finally, after 8 years cut the last of a spiral perm from my hair - this summer a 5 inch 'trim' saw the end of the dry, broken, constantly splitting, miserably dull and perm-discolored ends that I have been dealing with these many years. It had finally come to the point that my hair could not be worn 'down', but had to be up - for almost 2 years - to distract from the terrible discoloration/fading/dullness brought on by the harsh perm solution on the then very old ends.
It was a moment of madness that led me to the perm - though I have much density in my hair, it too is baby fine. (thanks, dad - why couldn't I have gotten mom's abundantly thick, curly auburn hair.....

) My cousin in south dakota has a salon. She and my other cousin, her sister (also a stylist) took an entire day spiral curling my then hip length hair.... They had to go to the beauty supply twice to get more loop-rods, and it took 3 people supporting my head to get me to the rinse out basin because of the weight. The perm was absolutely stunning, and I adored it.... Wearing it down was an event that always brought pleasant compliments........
BUT.... the maintenance:
coating it with nasty, sticky (alcohol-based)gel after each washing.....then "scrunching" it dry in front of a high powered space heater - which despite my hair's fineness - took nearly an hour every other day....

Because of the perm, the less than nourshing post-perm shampoo and conditioners, the never-ending 'coating' products, the heat needed to maintain the "bouncy" look, so I didn't have lanky pulled out curls...(if air dried, the sheer length of the hair distorted and pulled the curls till they were quite ugly)
My hair was in the worst shape that it had been in 15 years - since highschool (when I "brilliantly" chose to go from my natural medium brown to a blindingly white blond - which I followed up with a "crimped" perm - to my waist-length hair

...... but that horror is another story - when I was 17 and completely sure that I had a never ending supply of quick-growing healthy hair...)
At 41, I have resolved NEVER AGAIN to so disregard my hair. I'm pleased that my existing length (tailbone at present) is healthy, smooth, free from splits or discoloration and HAPPY.

It never regained it's pre-perm density, however - no matter the vitamins, supplements, hair-friendly diet, strict care regime and TLC - quite probably due to my age and general health... but I am finally pleased with it's appearance - and am able to wear it down once again, when the mood hits me

So, Babyfine - PLEASE trust us, and run, screaming from the salon!
nightowl