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A Color Specialist

Hair Color Expert located in the Golden State who excels at grey hair. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. Most people don’t realise how much harm a regular bath towel can do, particularly for silver or chemically treated hair. This one small change can really lessen brittleness and splitting. A second budget-friendly essential is a wide-tooth comb, to use while conditioning. It safeguards your strands while detangling and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, notably following coloring.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with precise heat settings. Grey and blonde hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the right iron.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Self-applied color lifting. Social media makes it look easy, but the actual fact is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients severely damage their locks, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. It's best to steer clear of chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. These chemical systems are often too aggressive for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or discoloration.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. Some overuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on strengthening conditioners and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I also recommend follicle treatments containing stimulants to boost blood flow and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to identify the source rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and brand president of Philip Kingsley clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly to maintain tip integrity, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are absolutely amazing if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some significant shedding after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say medicated treatments. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the optimal outcomes. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It's ineffective. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can affect thyroid test results.

Which error is most frequent?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the primary purpose of washing 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 – especially if you have dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If oils are left on your scalp, they break down and become inflammatory.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a careful compromise. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will resolve on its own. In other cases, thyroid imbalances or vitamin/mineral deficiencies are the driving factor – 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