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An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional located in California who excels at grey hair. His clients include Hollywood stars and well-known figures.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I swear by a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much harm a regular bath towel can do, especially to lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a broad-toothed comb, to use during washing. It shields your locks while smoothing out tangles and helps keep the health of the strands, particularly post-bleaching.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Lightened strands can yellow or burn easily without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Internet videos often simplify it, but the actual fact is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, break it off or end up with uneven tones that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often excessively strong for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or discoloration.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. Certain clients overapply colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on strengthening conditioners and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is thermal styling minus a barrier. If you’re using styling appliances without a protective product, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

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

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I also recommend follicle treatments containing stimulants to boost blood flow and aid in hair growth. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, PRP therapy – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

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

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will trim off splits at home bi-weekly to maintain tip integrity, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Toppik hair fibres are truly impressive if you have areas of scalp visibility. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a range of colors, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had noticeable thinning – and also currently as I’m going through some marked thinning after having awful flu a few months ago. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

What justifies a higher investment?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the optimal outcomes. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It doesn’t work. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Also, high-dose biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the opposite is true – especially if you have dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, they break down and become inflammatory.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it is unlikely to cause damage.

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

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It's backed by strong research and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will clear up naturally. In other cases, thyroid imbalances or vitamin/mineral deficiencies are the driving factor – the frequent culprits include iron stores, B12 and D insufficiency – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus