To provide an epoch-making perming method giving the hair a permanent wave excellent in sustainability and also shape-holding ability with hair waves retained even after the hair is dried, and suppressing damage on the hair as well.

The perming method comprises the following process: The hair of a subject is set with a curled hair shape-holding instrument to curl the hair. A reducing agent is applied to the resulting curled hair. The resultant curled hair is left to stand for a predetermined period of time to effect softening the hair. The above instrument is detached from the softened hair, which is washed to wash away the reducing agent. The resulting softened hair is set with a curled hair shape-holding and heating instrument equipped with a mechanism for heating the curled hair by heat generation to curl the hair. The hair is then heated for a predetermined period of time by the above heating mechanism followed by halting heating by the mechanism. An oxidizing agent is applied to the resulting curled hair and the resultant hair is left to stand for a predetermined period of time.