for the first time in my two year career.... three if you count school, i had a perm go really bad!!  An 81 yr old lady who said she had not put color on her hair or had a perm in over a year.... her hair was about 5-6 in long.  When i shampooed it, it felt a little odd.... not too healthy to be exact, but i didnt listen to my instincts and did the perm anyway.....  It took really well in the nape and first inch and a half of growth, but the rest was a gummy mess!  i had to cut most of it off...and more really needs to come off to get it healthy.  she told me that she did have a bout of "cradle cap" and had used scalpacin for awhile... does anyone know if that stuff damages the hair shaft severely??

Not to worry...Only thing is that Scalpicin is medicated and it was a fine time for her to tell you this after you did the perm, but always follow your gut instinct.  She has a bad case of steatoids...YUCK, but its to be expected in elderly women. And yes it does make the hair shaft gummy and she's going to need to use a medicated shampoo for a while to get her hair and scalp healthy again. But next time when in doubt; a test curl will help you out.  If you're not sure; a strand test is the cure.

Good Luck