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A Color Specialist

Colourist located in the Golden State who specialises in grey hair. His clients include Hollywood stars and well-known figures.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. Many are unaware how much damage a regular bath towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. This one small change can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a broad-toothed comb, to use in the shower. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the strands, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A high-quality styling iron – made with advanced materials, with adjustable temperature options. Lightened strands can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

Self-applied color lifting. Internet videos often simplify it, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people cause irreversible harm, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I also don’t recommend keratin or permanent straightening treatments on bleached or silver hair. Such treatments are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause chronic issues or color changes.

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

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. Some overuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

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

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. 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. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Trichologist and leader in hair health centers and lines targeting thinning.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will remove split ends personally every two weeks to keep my ends healthy, and have highlights done 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 variety of shades, making it almost invisible. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had noticeable thinning – and also currently as I’m going through some considerable hair loss after having awful flu a few months ago. Because locks are secondary, 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?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say medicated treatments. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

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 male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

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 clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – particularly with flaky scalp, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a balancing act. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, 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. If you then want to try other things to support minoxidil’s effect, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will clear up naturally. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – the typical deficiencies involve iron, B12 and vitamin D – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus