Hey rrebecca, I would say your best bet is to ask your hairstylist how she thinks your hair would react to a perm, it's tough to know without actually seeing your hair. In the meantime, have you tried washing your hair at night, then braiding it (while it's still damp) before you go to bed? When I do that I wake up nice waves and it's way quicker than a curling iron or rollers.

My favorite way to get my curls perfect is to get a shower and comb my hair with a wide tooth comb, then I  put my hair into messy braids[dont waste your time getting your braids perfect], and stop about an inch before your ends. After a little while[depending on how thick your hair is] finish blow drying the braids untill they are just a little damp. Next, unbraid the hair and finish blow drying. Then to create an all day look, just run a little gel[I like Suave Extra Hold] thru your hair and spritz it with hairspray[I like Samy The Hairspray].

It depends on the over all condition your hair is in to begin. I agree ask a stylist. Someone you trust. My hair is wavy and I went in for a perm. My hair wasn't in good shape. I ended up with a poodle looking do. I did color my hair at the time. Now, I shampoo in the evening and french braid it. In the morning it looks great.