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A Color Specialist

Styling Professional based in the Golden State who specialises in grey hair. His clients include Hollywood stars and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I swear by a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much damage a standard towel can do, especially to grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the proper tool.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Self-applied color lifting. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the reality is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals cause irreversible harm, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. It's best to steer clear of chemical straightening processes on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or color changes.

What frequent error do you observe?

People using the wrong products for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. Another significant problem is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying styling appliances without a protective product, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

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

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. My advice includes follicle treatments containing stimulants to boost blood flow and support follicle health. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and head of a renowned clinic centers and lines targeting thinning.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally bi-weekly to maintain tip integrity, and have color touches every two months.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Toppik hair fibres are remarkably effective if you have thinning spots. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it almost invisible. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had significant shedding – and also presently during some marked thinning after having awful flu a few months ago. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your intake is insufficient, 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 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 medicated treatment to see the best results. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – 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 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 consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the opposite is true – particularly with flaky scalp, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If natural oils stay on the head, 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. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will resolve on its own. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – 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