TSA pat-downs: hair stories?

[wendyg]

I've been reading a lot about the TSA's new "enhanced" pat-downs. I know they check the body very thoroughly, but what about the head? Do they actually feel around your head and under your hair?

I'm interested here only in accounts of the new procedure, which came into effect on October 29. So if you flew *before* then and had them ask you to take your bun down or whatever, that's really not what I'm asking about here.

wg

[CrisDee]

Even before the most recent "enhanced" security, I'd had problems with some of my metal hair toys. The easiest way is to simply remove the hair toy and put it in the gray bin, and re-do your updo once you've passed through security. Even back then, the poking and prodding they did to make sure it wasn't a bomb (and I was a flight attendant at the time!) was enough to loosen the updo to the point where it had to be redone anyway. With the stories of dislodging ostomy bags and demanding removal of prosthetic breasts, I am absolutely certain you would have to take the toy out anyway - why go through the hassle.

[wendyg]

I have a strategy about that that I've used for years, but I'm not asking for advice. I want to know what they *do* in the new pat-downs. ie, I'd really like a first-hand account of the experience.

wg
(The strategy for anyone who cares is that I *don't* wear metal hair toys. I make a braid and wind it up and secure it with either a 4-prong hair fork or an African butterfly clip, usually the latter, because it's less likely to slip while I'm running through the airport with luggage. If I need to take it down I can - and I do while in-flight long-haul - but no one's ever asked me to, and given how fine my hair is and how small it packs down I'll be surprised if that ever happens.)

[getoffmyskittle]

Yes, they felt my bun, but I didn't have to take my hair down.

ETA: Oh, okay, here's what happened. I'll just tell you the whole thing.

I was asked to step into the backscatter machine and I said "I'd rather not." They had me wait for a few minutes for another TSA agent to come and pat me down. I was led over to an area that had a mat with footprints on it, about shoulder width apart, and I was asked to put my feet on the footprints. The woman who was patting me down explained that she was going to pat down my whole body using the fronts of her hands, and my breasts and groin area using the backs of her hands. I was to hold my arms out to the sides, palms down. She then proceeded to pat me down, telling me "I'm going to check ____ now" before we got to each body part. For my head, she just felt the top of my head and my bun. Other than that, I just got patted down all over. When she did my inner thighs, I had to place one foot in front of the other, then switch. And that was really it.

[wendyg]

Thanks.

I've had reasonably thorough pat-downs, but never had anyone touch my head.

wg