The TikTok beauty space is no stranger to nostalgia-driven trends – hello 90s-inspired blowouts and razor-thin brows – so is the return of the perm really all that surprising? While bouncy curls are always à la mode, the buoyant 80-esque perm fell out of favour in recent decades.

But now TikTok is declaring the hair trend is officially back, with creators filling the platform with videos of their perm transformations. However, this time it’s not just the tighter ringlets made famous by the 80s – now new techniques and technology have led to the latest craze, the digital perm.

The digital perm originated in Asia, but the technique is now being adopted by more salons across the globe. The treatment involves a combination of heat and chemicals applied to the hair to create semi-permanent soft waves or curls.

@sharonkxie

the ultimate lazy girl blow out #digitalperm #blowout

♬ Flowers – Miley Cyrus

This technique employs heated rods that are digitally controlled, manipulating the structure of the hair so that it stays curled for months. The rollers are bigger in size to mimic the shape of a barrelled curling wand for natural volume and body. The resulting style is far looser, meaning you end up with a soft wave rather than a tight curl.

@schen530

digital perm for that added volume 💁🏻‍♀️ #digitalperm #koreandigitalperm #haircut #tothesalontrend #nycsalons #koreansalon #haruehnyc

♬ to the salon – inactive

TikTok has become obsessed with the digital perm, with the hashtag #digitalperm garnering more than 52 million views. Creators documenting the process of the treatment sing its praises for providing long-lasting, effortless waves, calling it the ultimate time-saving hack for a bouncy blow-out.

@xtinayee

Come with me to the salon for a summer hairtransformation! 💇🏻‍♀️ I got a #digitalperm at @_newhairnyc_. Claire was my hairstylist and she was amazing!

♬ to the salon – inactive

While it all sounds like a dream, it should be noted that some hair types are less suited to a digital perm. If your hair is damaged or extremely fine, many stylists don’t recommend the treatment as the curls either won’t hold or your hair won’t be able to tolerate the chemicals. However if it is suitable, you can expect results to last for around three months.

@calaaiss

Reply to @jess_hartmann week 2 update! this is what it looks like after i shower and let my hair air dry 🙂 #digitalperm #seoul

♬ original sound – calais

Making an appointment at the hair salon ASAP.