The answer is panels. This is a direct, verbatim match to Milady's own wraparound-technique description: "Perm wraps begin with sectioning the hair into panels."
Panels are the larger sections a perm wrap is built from before individual rods get placed — distinct from the other answer choices offered on this question (bands, contours, and patterns), none of which is the term Milady actually uses for this first step.
Milady Standard Barbering, 6th ed., Ch. 17 (Chemical Texture Services): "Perm wraps begin with sectioning the hair into panels."
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More real Chemical Services questions with sourced answers: Which Relaxer Type Is Sold in Base and No-Base Formulas, Which Lighteners Add Temporary Color as They Lighten, What Rods Are Used for a Spiral Perm Wrap, What Relaxer Type Can Swell Hair to Twice Its Normal Diameter, What Tones Indicate Overlightening.
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