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A Color Specialist

Hair Color Expert operating from the West Coast who excels at silver hair. Among his clientele are Hollywood stars and renowned personalities.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

I highly recommend a gentle drying cloth, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. Many are unaware how much stress a regular bath towel can do, particularly for grey or color-processed hair. This one small change can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another affordable staple is a wide-tooth comb, to use in the shower. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the individual hairs, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

At-home lightening. Internet videos often simplify it, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people cause irreversible harm, break it off or end up with bands of colour that are nearly impossible to correct. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. Such treatments are often overly harsh for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or discoloration.

What frequent error do you observe?

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their specific hair needs. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a heat protectant, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They work internally to benefit externally by correcting endocrine issues, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

In cases requiring advanced options, PRP therapy – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Trichologist and head of a renowned clinic services and items for shedding.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will remove split ends personally fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Hair-thickening particles 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 used it myself in the postpartum period when I had noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having a bad infection previously. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

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 over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the optimal outcomes. 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?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It doesn’t work. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the primary purpose of washing 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 damaging to their locks, when in fact the contrary is accurate – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If natural oils stay on the head, they break down and become inflammatory.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a balancing act. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it shouldn't harm your hair.

Which options help with shedding?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to show optimal results when mixed with supporting compounds. If you're interested in complementary therapies, 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.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. 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 clear up naturally. In other cases, thyroid imbalances or vitamin/mineral deficiencies are the driving factor – 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