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A Color Specialist

Styling Professional located in California who excels at platinum tones. His clients include Jane Fonda and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much damage a standard towel can do, particularly for silver or chemically treated hair. This minor adjustment can really reduce frizz and breakage. A second budget-friendly essential is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while smoothing out tangles and helps preserve the strength of the strands, especially after lightening.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A high-quality styling iron – made with advanced materials, with smart temperature control. Silver and light-coloured hair can yellow or burn easily without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Self-applied color lifting. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the actual fact is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals severely damage their locks, break it off or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I also don’t recommend long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause lasting harm or color changes.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their lightened locks looks lifeless and muted. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying styling appliances without a defensive spray or cream, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

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

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. My advice includes scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps eliminate impurities and allows treatments to work more effectively. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and nutritional deficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a personalized serum is applied – can be effective. That said, I always suggest getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

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

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 color touches every two months.

What affordable find is essential?

Toppik hair fibres are remarkably effective if you have thinning spots. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it almost invisible. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had a lot of hair fall – and also presently during some significant shedding after having a severe illness recently. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your intake is insufficient, 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 prescription hair-loss topicals. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the best results. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It doesn’t work. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can affect thyroid test results.

Which error is most frequent?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the opposite is true – notably in cases of dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a careful compromise. 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 prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will resolve on its own. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – 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