Vintage Perm Rods: A Curl Through Time

Perm rods—also called perm rollers—were essential tools in the early 20th century for creating permanent curls. Simple metal or plastic cylinders at first, they evolved in the 1950s–60s into flexible, varied rods suited for all hair types.

The 1980s and 1990s marked their heyday, as big curls became wildly popular and perm rods became cultural icons. The perm process involved washing, rolling, applying chemicals, and neutralizing—each rod size producing a different curl type.