Hairwraps are only done in the Disney resorts. I only saw braiding in the Bahamas, St. Maarten, St. Thomas & Cozumel. My DD has had her hair corn rowed at least 10 times in the last few years- both full head & crown w/ braids ( waist long hair ). In our opinion, the braiders on the ship have done the best job & they stayed in for about 4 weeks, with proper care. Here are some tips we have learned along the way for safe braiding, care & feeding ( so to speak...)
If you have it done on the ship, get in line early for sign ups, as the sea days go quick. Don't waste time on CC getting hair done. They use a clean comb for each person & they use the good rubber bands that don't break the hair. They put the beads on properly & don't use foil, which fries the ends. They are pretty gentle compared to some on the various islands...
If you choose to have hair braids done on any of the islands, ask to see their book first. Some of them are terrible. Ask if they use foil- don't do it, or you are looking at at least a 2 to 3 inch trim when you take them out to get the damaged ends off. They dont last long either. My DD's friend got hers done in St. Thomas- full head. Started coming out by Friday, CC day & her ends were totally fried from the foil. Her Mom emailed after the cruise to say her DD had to have a major haircut to get rid of the damage...The braiders at Mr. Sanchos in Coz & Orient Point are pretty good. Watch out for St. Thomas & downtown Phillipsburg-bad. There were some awesome braiders in the Freeport straw market, but I don't think
DCL goes there any more.
If you choose to go non DCL route- bring your own rat tail comb, brush & rubber bands. The good tiny ones are made by goody & are vinyl- come in clear/black/brown- about a $1.50 in target. They don't break the hair. We brought our own pony beads too. When you see how some store them & how dirty things are you will be glad you brought your own... I'm a clean freak when it come to that stuff. I don't think I could deal with lice...
To maintain braids so they don't get fuzzy, spray Paul Mitchell Heat & Seal -$8, before bed only on the braids& tie a bandana around the braids tightly before retiring. This helps maintain the "new" look.
For sunscreen use Redken Spray Sun Shield for hair- $9. Spray generously on scalp area exposed from braids. It works great & washes out better than sunscreen. Great for highlighted/color treated hair too. My highlights get too light in the Caribbean sun, so this stuff helps me not to get that white, strawlike,streaky look. It's a little greasy, but on the beach, who cares... My stylist suggested it & it's worth the money. If you can't find it, use a Qtip & apply sunscreen in between rows. The hair will become fuzzier faster, as you do have to scrub a little to remove suncreen when shampooing.
When removing, cut bands first. Work the braid with a rat tail comb. Don't be alarmed if you seeing a lot of loose hair coming out. Your child is not going bald... It's all the hair you would normally lose daily that couldn't escape... After you're done- (takes us about an hour) wet head & SLATHER deep conditioner on. Put on a shower cap & wait about an hour. It helps to restore hair to normal condition. As I said my DD has thick, waist long hair & she doesn't sustain any damage other than a few split ends. I usually trim an inch to clean it up after she deep conditions.
If your child is sensitive, or really young- the braids will hurt while they are doing them. Let them know ahead of time, so they can know what to expect. Most little girls want them, so they'll endure the pain & be brave. The finished product looks so nice.
Hope this helps!
~ Linda
