Q. My mother gave me a perm. She’s done this for years, but this time, the curl isn’t even. I asked my stylist to give me a perm over this one to correct the uneven curl. She’s willing to try, but she insists I sign “waiver” relieving her of responsibility if anything happens to my hair. I’m scared now. 

A. Your stylist is very wise. The Waiver is simply a document that releases your stylist of any liability should your hair start breaking, etc. Since you used a “home perm”, it’s impossible for your stylist to know what the specific ingredients are. Even though your stylist will use a “gentle” perm, one that’s recommended for “previously chemically treated hair”, there’s no guarantee that your hair is strong enough to handle both chemical services. As a professional businessperson, your stylist is protecting herself and her salon, while helping you realize that chemicals used on hair CAN do damage, and need to be handled carefully.