Abstract: The present invention provides improved perming agents and perming methods which can minimize damage to hair and simplify perming processes simultaneously and also can relieve a pain of a subject to be permed by shortening time required for a perming operation. The present invention uses a perming agent containing 2-7% of one kind or more than two kinds of mercaptan selected from thioglycolic acid, salt of thioglycolic acid, cysteine and acetyl cysteine and 1.5-17.5% of one or more than two kinds of disulfide selected from dithiodiglycolic acid, salt of dithiodiglycolic acid and cysteine, with a mixing ratio of disulfide to mercaptan being 0.75-2.5 to induce simultaneous progression of oxidation and reduction and, when necessary, in combination with a second agent containing an oxidizing agent for giving permanent wave to hair or curing wavy hair.