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A Color Specialist

Colourist located in the West Coast who excels at grey hair. He works with Jane Fonda and renowned personalities.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I highly recommend a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to dry your hair. Many are unaware how much damage a typical terrycloth towel can do, notably with grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. A second budget-friendly essential is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It protects the hair while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the individual hairs, especially after lightening.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A high-quality styling iron – made with advanced materials, with precise heat settings. Silver and light-coloured hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

DIY bleaching. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the reality is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals melt their hair, break it off or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often excessively strong for weakened hair and can cause chronic issues or discoloration.

What’s the most common mistake you see in your salon?

People using the wrong products for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their silver or blond hair looks flat and dull. A few overdo on high-protein masks and end up with rigid, fragile strands. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which product, treatment or supplement would you recommend for hair loss?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I often suggest scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and nutritional deficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, PRP therapy – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. However, I consistently recommend consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Follicle Expert and head of a renowned clinic services and items for shedding.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally bi-weekly to preserve strand health, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Toppik hair fibres are absolutely amazing if you have thinning spots. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had noticeable thinning – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having a severe illness recently. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It shows no real benefit. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What blunder stands out often?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the main goal of cleansing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the reverse is correct – particularly with flaky scalp, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a careful compromise. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will clear up naturally. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – the most common being ferritin (stored iron), vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiency – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus