In Reply to: hair braiding posted by alleylou on Tuesday, 17. June 2008 at 18:13 Bali Time:
Hi again
I have many reasons for not wanting it done but understand it is a personal choice. I'll try to list my concerns as best I can....
My daughter too has very thick hair and the hairdressers at the salon we go to advise strongly against having it done as it can damage the hair (not the only hairdressers or salon either that has advised against it).
It can hurt; I have seen some children cry during the process.
The conditions under which people's hair is done is not always the cleanest. Think here in Aust. (where I live) where the salons have a high standard of cleanliness. The combs are not cleaned in the same manner (if at all) and I have heard of people getting nits from the combs used.
Many children suffer sunburnt heads as their scalps are exposed to the sunshine and a lot have difficulty sleeping with the beads threaded through.
We do get asked all the time by the ladies "plait your daughters hari" but we just ignore and keep walking. Mostly she has her hair in a pony tail or plaits anyway.
You have to wonder why there are not hoardes of tourists from other countries having it done. It seems pecularly Australian for some unkown reason and really not a good look in my opinion.
I know it seems like a right of passage for some young girls to come back from Bali with their hair braided but we just make sure the nails are done with flowers on the last day and make that our last memory. The polish can stay on for weeks.
If you want to get other input I suggest you search the forum for the link below and read the ensuing discussion. You will not get the braids after reading.
joeyrobby on Tuesday, 15. January 2008 at 17:09 Bali Time
Cheers
Joh