Hey! I had my hair permed last year.. I think end of May or beg. of June (forget which).
I don't know if it's considered a loose perm, but it was the kind where my hair was wrapped up in those curlers all the way to the roots, brushed with chemicals and put under the hot air thingy. The usual I think!
I went to a place called Juno (near Lougheed Mall), it was a Korean lady that did it.

I think my perm turned out pretty good, I loved it!
Depending on how I let it dry it could be ringlet curls(wrap damp hair around finger and slip your finger away, then don't TOUCH at all) or waves.
Maintenance... hmm I didn't/don't(because my hair is growing out--but still wavy middle to ends) have to do much with it! I usually use Pantene Pro-V shampoo/conditioner for curls/waves/perms and then scrunch or finger wave my damp hair afterwards with the Pantene Pro-V curling shaper Anti-Frizz creme or LaCoupe's curling mousse.

But a bit on my hair background.. I have naturally straight hair thats not too thick/thin. I haven't bleached my hair the last few years, and maybe have only dyed it at most twice to pitch black. I would straighten my hair with a straightening iron most days.. so my hair wasn't TOO damaged to begin with. So.. if you've bleached your hair recently I wouldn't recommend perming at all!

IMO it's easier to straighten my hair(with a perm) than to curl it(when I had straight hair).. and I feel like it's less work too. Most days I don't use curl enhancing products anymore, so my hair dries straight near the top and loose waves at the bottom.

Anyway I attached two pics : 1st one is last July, about a month after I got my perm. 2nd is just from a few days ago actually!

oops. the pics are the other way around -- the 1st one is the NOW pic, the 2nd (with cell phone) is from last year