Wisconsin Cosmetology Practice Exam

The process used to create curls in straight hair is permanent waving. This chemical procedure involves the application of a waving solution that breaks down the hair's disulfide bonds, allowing the hair to take on a new shape. After the hair is wrapped around rods or curlers, a neutralizer is applied to reform the disulfide bonds in this new curly configuration. As a result, once the hair is thoroughly processed and rinsed, it retains curls that last for an extended period, distinguishing permanent waving from temporary styling methods.

The other options are not relevant to creating curls. Relaxing is a process aimed at straightening curly or wavy hair by breaking down the natural wave pattern. Bleaching involves lightening the hair by removing its pigment, while coloring refers to changing the hair's hue without affecting its texture in terms of curl formation.