Dr. George Michael's Method of Long Hair Care

Dr. George Michael was a plastic surgeon who developed products and a special process for caring for long hair. He is considered the "guru" of long hair care, and his clients have included famous long-haired beauties such as Crystal Gayle. The following is information taken from promotional method for the George Michael Method of long hair care.

Hair Washing Tips:

One doesn't lose hair through washing, but rather through friction and tangling. With shorter hair, how one massages the scalp is not so important. You can move your fingers back and forth, zigzag, in circles, figure eights or sideways -- it doesn't matter because it hardly tangles.
In contrast, long hair gets tangled when the scalp is massaged in circles or zigzag lines. By trying to untangle, it tears or falls out completely.

1. The best place to wash your hair is in the shower. Although some women prefer the wash basin or more especially, bending over the bathtub.

2. Stand bent over with your head tucked downwards. This relaxes the scalp and promotes blood circulation. If your head is higher than your elbows, the muscles in your scalp may cramp up. Try it yourself to see the difference.
3. All the dirt and oil particles should be expelled during the first shampoo, which serves as the purification of the hair. During the SECOND shampoo the scalp should be massaged and NOT THE HAIR!

4. For the correct massage, begin at the hairline and work towards the top massaging the scalp. Keep your hands beneath your hair and move them back and forth. Don’t use your hair as a scrub brush. When you’re finished massaging the scalp, shampoo the rest of your hair to the ends. Treat it like silk and try to avoid knots.

5. Finally, rinse out your hair thoroughly with warm water. If any of the bubbles remain, the hair will be dull and sticky. Feel the hair after cleansing and make sure the slightest trace of shampoo can’t be found.
6. If you can stand it, rinse hair in cold water. This allows the hair molecules to shrink and carries away all unnecessary layers. The hair will be easier to comb.

7. Pour a dab of rinse into your palm and apply with strokes to the length of your hair. Then rinse once more but with lukewarm water.

8. When you step out of the shower, use a hand towel to get rid of excess water.

9. Try to comb through the hair with your fingers, as long as it remains wet. Never brush when wet. Hair has a certain elasticity and can stretch from 1/8 to 1/6 of its original length. Luckily the hair normalizes itself when dry. When wet, it behaves like an over stretched rubber band and breaks. Use instead a wide-toothed tortoise shell comb to untangled and smooth out your hair.

10. Part the hair in small sections and begin 5cm above the ends to comb it out. When the entire lower section is untangled, go approximately 20cm up from the bottom and comb the hair in narrow strands through to the underside. Continue until you reach the scalp and all is tangle-free.

There are four different washing methods for you to use at different times and for different types of hair.
WASHING METHOD #1

A METHOD FOR MEDIUM TO BRA LENGTH HAIR WASHING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF HAIR

(no more than twice a week)

ORDER: (A) shampoo, (B) cream rinse

(A) Wet hair with warm water. Apply shampoo and swoosh around the hair on the first lather. Rinse with warm water. Apply shampoo a second time and massage scalp. Avoid rigorous scrubbing. Gently wash the hair from the scalp down using re-grasping motions to avoid tangling. Rinse well until no suds appear in the water.

(B) Apply Madora George Michael Cream Rinse to the outer layers and ends only. Rinse well - you may want to finish with a final cold rinse to add additional shine to your hair.

WASHING METHOD #2

A METHOD FOR VERY LONG HAIR WASHING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF HAIR (no more than once a week)

ORDER:

(A) "Pre-wash conditioner": While your hair is still dry, take ½ tablespoon of 12 Minute Conditioner. Apply conditioner to the ends and the top layer of your hair. Be sure only these trouble areas are well-coated. At this time, do not apply "pre-wash conditioner" to your scalp or the remaining area of hair, wash hair immediately.

(B) Shampoo: After applying our "pre-wash conditioner", wet your hair and apply a tablespoon of shampoo until a rich lather develops. Remember to wash the ends of your hair as well as your scalp. Rinse and always shampoo again. The first wash removes superficial dirt and oils; the second deep cleans.

(C) Cream Rinse: Use Madora George Michael Creme Rinse after you condition and shampoo. Pour one teaspoon into your hand and apply only to the ends of your hair and halfway up the hair's shaft.

THEN:

Rinse, rinse, and rinse! See those tiny bubbles at the drain? Rinse until they are reduced to just a few.
Finish with a cold water rinse. Cold water eliminates residue, closes scalp pores, and reduces the stretch in the hair created by hot water.

WASHING METHOD #3

12 MINUTE CONDITIONING (two to four times a month)

ORDER:

(A) Shampoo: Wet your hair and apply a tablespoon of shampoo until a rich lather develops. Remember to wash the ends of your hair as well as your scalp. Rinse and always shampoo again. The first wash removes superficial dirt and oils; the second deep cleans. Towel dry excess water.

(B) Condition: Apply one tablespoon of conditioner to entire head and leave on twelve minutes. Rinse well. The 12 Minute Conditioner will work well at room temperature.

(C) Cream Rinse: Pour one teaspoon into your hand. Apply only to the ends of your hair and half way up the hair’s shaft, not on the scalp. Rinse well.

WASHING METHOD #4

WASH SCALP ONLY
(Every day or every other day, in between regular shampoos which should be once a week)
Many of us wash our hair daily. However, shampooing once a week is best for the delicate ends of the hair. The solution is to wash the scalp daily or every two days in between. The three methods listed below will keep your hair clean and fresh smelling while protecting the ends.

(A) Have a friend hold up the ends of your hair. While bending over the sink, wash and rinse your scalp only. Then gently pat the wet portion of your hair dry with a towel.

(B) With one hand hold the ends of your hair away from the water. Wash and rinse your scalp with your other hand. Then gently towel dry your hair.

(C) Loosely pull your hair back into a braid at the nape of your neck and secure well. Bend over the sink and wash and rinse your scalp only. Towel off, and you have clean hair!

Always be sure to rinse well. Any residue will collect oil and dirt faster. When washing the scalp only, the Madora George Michael "pre - wash conditioner" and the Madora George Michael Cream Rinse are not necessary.

IF AND WHEN YOUR SHAMPOO STOPS WORKING.....

and they all eventually do, build up will occur. Use the Blue Shampoo which acts as a stripper of build up and yet remains gentle to the hair. Use it when you start to notice that the Cream Shampoo is less effective. Two washings with the Blue Shampoo should be sufficient, and then go back to the Cream Shampoo. Be sure to use the pre - wash conditioner on the ends and outer layer of hair when using the Blue Shampoo. Sometimes when you feel you still have residues left use three sudsings.

DRYING YOUR HAIR

Air-drying is always best. If you would rather dry your hair artificially, first set your hair with plastic rollers. Then sit under a hood dryer. To prevent damage to your hair, keep the dryer at a constant temperature (about 42 degrees centigrade or 108 degrees Fahrenheit).
Another gentle way to artificially dry your hair is to attach a diffuser to your blow dryer. This device spreads the hot air evenly, making the heat far less intense. If you would like to air dry your hair without getting the "frizzles" wait until your hair is 95% dry and then roll it on curlers. Apply a hairnet and dry your hair completely under a hair dryer - the warmth of the dryer will smooth out the hair. Depending on the richness of your hair it will take 15 - 30 minutes. You'll be surprised at the results. Never use heated rollers or curling tongs. These devices dry and break long hair. If you must blow dry use a diffuser. Dry roots first then dry lengths with gentle temperature. Once your hair is dry, you may brush it to a glorious shine.

BRUSHING
For a healthy head of beautiful hair you must treat, nourish, strengthen and stimulate the living part of the hair - the root. Brushing is an essential part of hair treatment. It keeps the scalp supple and accelerates the blood circulation which feeds the roots and distributes needed fatty acids along the length of the hair, assuring smoother combing without breaking, since lubricants also serve as moisturizers. We advise our clients to brush their hair as soon as they get up in the morning and only to use a natural bristle with a wooden base.
WHY BRUSH IN THE MORNING?

Brushing stimulates the circulation to the scalp and fluffs the hair. Don't think for a minute that this will make your hair more oily. Brushing actually distributes the oils to the ends of your hair. Which in turn is a natural protection for the hair against weather conditions and other stressful occurrences.

NEVER BRUSH WET HAIR!

Hair is more elastic when wet than when dry, and it will stretch when wet to the point of snapping if you use a brush. Instead use a wide tooth tortoise - shell comb. Start with the ends and slowly work your way up to the scalp. Never use a metal or rubber comb.

USE A NATURAL BRISTLE BRUSH WITH A WOODEN BASE
The natural bristles are closest to the hair structure itself, and therefore are less likely to produce tangles on long hair. The wooden base reduces static electricity.
METHOD

Stand with feet slightly apart and bend down from the waist until the hair falls in a curtain before your face. Brush your hair gently, starting from the roots at the nape of your neck and moving toward the end of the hair Follow each brush stroke with the open palm of your other hand. (This counteracts a build - up of static electricity). Start the first day with 20 brush strokes. Then, add 10 strokes each day. For oily condition or fine hair start with 10 strokes. Then add 5 strokes each day. Your goal: fifty brush strokes a day. Remember that morning brushing produces the best results!

PARTING THE HAIR

You probably part your hair on the left side or use a center part. We suggest that you part your hair on the right side. Hair follicles along the forehead grow from the left to the right. A right side part adds height and has your hair doing "push-ups". The middle part is definitely out. It puts additional stress on the weakest hairs on the top of the head, which results in hair thinning and the part spreading wider.
A center part forms a line that goes down the middle of the face, which accentuates the nose and any irregularities that exist between the left and the right side of the face. There are only a very, very few people in the entire world who literally look good with a center part.