Arkansas Cosmetology Practice Exam 2026 – Complete All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The process that changes the hair’s structure temporarily is perming. Perming involves using chemicals to break down the disulfide bonds in the hair, allowing the hair to be reshaped into curls or waves. After the hair is set in the desired shape and the chemicals are neutralized, the disulfide bonds re-form, locking the hair into its new style. This alteration to the hair's structure lasts until it grows out or is chemically treated again, making it a temporary change.

In contrast, permanently straightening involves breaking and re-forming the bonds in the hair in a way that creates a long-lasting straight texture. Coloring and bleaching refer to altering the hair color rather than changing its structure; these processes typically act on the hair's cuticle and cortex without reshaping the internal bonds that determine hair texture.