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Original poster

Should my 8 year old nephew have his hair permed?

92 replies

KateGrace · 02/04/2023 16:00

My 8 year old nephew has disclosed to his dad (my brother) this weekend that his mum is going to get his hair permed. My brother has asked his ex not to get it done as he is too young. She refuses to listen and has stated that she is going ahead with it anyway. Are we being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 02/04/2023 16:35

God no, not at that age

BeautifulWar · 02/04/2023 16:34

If he's so keen on this look, can't his mum invest in some bendy curlers and curl it overnight?

VictorianBathroomTiles · 02/04/2023 16:32

Sorryyoufeelthatway · 02/04/2023 16:08

Its not “just hair”. Relaxers used on African textured hair have recently shown to cause fibroids and cancer.

Why on earth would an 8 year old want a perm? It must come from the adults or they are left on tiktok all day. Awful.

This!

MrsDoylesDoily · 02/04/2023 16:31

kwetu · 02/04/2023 16:26

In our area loads of lads are getting what we used to call in the 80's a 'poodle perm' my 10yo is desperate to get his done, is a no from me so far.

Think it's called a 'Meet me at McDonalds' hairstyle now.

No idea why though?

BeautifulWar · 02/04/2023 16:31

It’s only hair. What do you imagine will happen? Lots of boys seem to be getting the top bit of their hair permed

Oh right, so that's the llama look (or is it alpaca?) that I've been seeing! I was shocked a child would want a perm, imagining some kind of 70s/80s Terry and Barry vibe 😂

Seriously though, no hairdresser in their right mind would do this! Far too many chemicals for a child!

Slimjimtobe · 02/04/2023 16:29

Crazy
I’ve an 8 year old and a this would be a no go from me. I don’t like lines but if they want them in the holidays I’ll go for it but a perm is so silly for a young boy - if they have natural curls that is beautiful but not a fake perm

LadyPenelope68 · 02/04/2023 16:28

It’s the fashion at the minute with young boys/teenagers to have the top part of their hair permed and shorter at the sides. I’m a Year 6 teacher and 50% of the 10/11 year old boys in my class have this style - it’s awful!

Refrosty · 02/04/2023 16:27

OP, is your nephew black or mixed race?

I only ask because this topic has been an ongoing one in my community, and finally we (black people) are mostly steering our kids (and parents who don't know better) away from perms/relaxers from a young age. It's usually a female issue though. This debate has been helped by the fact there have been links to these chemicals and cancers (as these girls age into women).

I'm obviously against children perming/relaxing their hair. YANBU, but unfortunately you have no control over it.

kwetu · 02/04/2023 16:26

In our area loads of lads are getting what we used to call in the 80's a 'poodle perm' my 10yo is desperate to get his done, is a no from me so far.

Goldenbear · 02/04/2023 16:25

Ridiculous, also using chemicals that are probably a waste of time as if you have poker straight thin hair it probably won't hold. I think people and children should just embrace their natural texture. My DS has wavy/curly hair that looks good in a surfer kind of style without any effort. His cousin has very straight hair but is always trying to make it wavy but it just doesn't stick. He looks really good with it short. Obviously, his hair but it seems silly to go to that effort if your hair is just not that texture.

MrsDoylesDoily · 02/04/2023 16:24

Theluggage15 · 02/04/2023 16:19

It’s not a hairstyle, it’s a chemical treatment, ‘man’

Show quote history

Exactly.

It makes me wonder if some people are living with the damaging after effects...

GeekyThings · 02/04/2023 16:23

YANBU, perms are bad enough for adults hair and scalps, an 8 year old is way too young. No good hairdresser would do this, and she's risking injury if she does it at home.

What an idiot!

Tellmethespoiler · 02/04/2023 16:20

No decent hairdresser would do this on a child so young.

Theluggage15 · 02/04/2023 16:19

Bunnyhascovidnoteggs · 02/04/2023 16:15

It's a hair style not a tattoo. Chill man.

It’s not a hairstyle, it’s a chemical treatment, ‘man’

Flowerblooms · 02/04/2023 16:18

Must be the ‘in’ thing at the moment among the boys. I can think of at least 10 boys off the top of my head that have permed hair at the moment. They are all aged between 10 and 13 though not 8.

PinkSyCo · 02/04/2023 16:18

MrsColinRobinson · 02/04/2023 16:15

I wouldn't dream of doing it to my kids but YABU for thinking this is any of your business.

Maybe OP cares about her nephew and her brother.

HangerLaneGyratorySystem · 02/04/2023 16:15

bcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyza · 02/04/2023 16:12

Boy in my sons class has it permed on top.

If its all the rage (even if its a rage I've gladly missed) then it makes it more difficult to say no. But I too thought there were rules around using perming solution on under 16s. Probably just means you have to have parents' consent though and this parent sounds like they'll hold the kid down and put the rollers in themselves!

Bunnyhascovidnoteggs · 02/04/2023 16:15

It's a hair style not a tattoo. Chill man.

MrsColinRobinson · 02/04/2023 16:15

I wouldn't dream of doing it to my kids but YABU for thinking this is any of your business.

bcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyza · 02/04/2023 16:12

Boy in my sons class has it permed on top.

PinkSyCo · 02/04/2023 16:12

No decent hairdresser would agree to using all those nasty chemicals on such a young child’s head. YANBU.

Thepeopleversuswork · 02/04/2023 16:11

Even if the kid had wanted it, it's a no from me. Perming is incredibly damaging for hair. If a kid that age had begged to have their hair dyed blue would you do it?

Who on earth even perms their hair these days? I didn't think anyone had done it since the late 1980s?

Smartiepants79 · 02/04/2023 16:09

Ponoka7 · 02/04/2023 16:05

The chemicals used shouldn't be used on a child under 14 even with parental permission.

Show quote history

I do agree with you but if the child also doesn’t want it then it’s twice as awful.

lemonyellows · 02/04/2023 16:09

I know it's fashionable now but 8 is too young for such harsh chemicals

Sorryyoufeelthatway · 02/04/2023 16:08

Its not “just hair”. Relaxers used on African textured hair have recently shown to cause fibroids and cancer.

Why on earth would an 8 year old want a perm? It must come from the adults or they are left on tiktok all day. Awful.