Kansas Cosmetology Practice Exam

Which chemical service involves altering the structure of the hair?

1. Straightening

2. Bleaching

3. Perming

4. Coloring

The correct answer is: Perming

Perming is the chemical service that involves altering the structure of the hair. This process works by breaking down the disulfide bonds in the hair's keratin structure, allowing the hair to be reshaped into curls or waves. After the bonds are broken, a curling rod is used to set the desired shape, and a neutralizer is then applied to reform the disulfide bonds in this new shape. In contrast, straightening typically utilizes chemical straighteners that can also alter the structure of the hair to make it straighter. However, in the context of this question, focusing on specific curly or wavy transformations aligns more closely with perming. Bleaching and coloring, on the other hand, primarily affect the hair's pigmentation without significantly altering its physical structure. These processes may change the appearance of the hair color but do not restructure the hair's internal bonds or shape. Thus, perming is distinctly recognized for its ability to permanently change the curl or wave pattern of the hair by altering its structure.