Even combing is a negotiation, so I am worried a salon will be a disaster. Did anyone do the first proper haircut at home, use a kids salon, or break it into small steps? Looking for practical ideas rather than forcing it. I would especially value recent experiences from the last one or two academic years.
What worked for another child may not fit yours, so I would use the replies here as ideas to test rather than a rulebook. The first few days were definitely messier than the later ones. We only reached that conclusion after trying the other approach first.
Consistency between the adults mattered more than the exact method for us. When one person gave in and another held the boundary, the whole thing took twice as long. Our child reacted better once we explained the change in advance instead of announcing it on the day. Keeping the change small made it easier for our child. In our house, the practical routine mattered more than the ideal plan.
Good point about asking for the details in writing. I had not thought of that. It took us a couple of weeks before the new routine felt normal. Your child's response may be different, but this was our experience.
What worked for another child may not fit yours, so I would use the replies here as ideas to test rather than a rulebook. We changed our approach after about a month because the first plan was too hard to sustain. The first few days were definitely messier than the later ones. We are in Hyderabad, so local logistics may be a little different.