Traditional skill on the verge of vanishing - tongs perm

Wang Weimei, left, uses tongs at his barbershop, Mar 7, 2015. Before using it on a customer's hair, Wang heats duck bill-shaped tongs in oven until they are red, then cools them in water. After that, Wang curls the hair with tongs in one hand and comb in the other, with white smoke rising from the hair and a burnt smell. During Wang's decades of work, he has never burnt any guest's ear or scalp. The key to tongs perm is the mastery of temperature and coordination of both hands, Wang said. The only downside is the burnt smell, which some find unbearable. Tongs perm is harmless as no chemicals are involved, said an old customer of Wang. And the hairstyle can remain the same for as long as three months. [Photo/CFP]