The lotion combo of ammonia and thioglycolate is used in which type of perm wave?

• A. Alkaline Wave
• B. Acid Wave Ingredient
• C. Chemical Phase
• D. Neutral Wave

Answer: (A)

Alkaline perm waves use a strong reducing environment created by ammonium thioglycolate, formed from ammonia and thioglycolate. The high pH produced by ammonia swells the hair and allows the thioglycolate to break the disulfide bonds in the cortex. With those bonds broken, the hair can be reshaped around rods and then reformed into disulfide bonds during neutralization, locking in the new curl. This combination is characteristic of alkaline waves, whereas acid waves use a different, lower-pH reducer and neutral or non-alkaline options aren’t described by this ammonia–thioglycolate combo. So the lotion pairing of ammonia and thioglycolate is used in the alkaline perm wave.