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An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional based in the West Coast who excels at platinum tones. He works with Jane Fonda and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to dry your hair. Many are unaware how much stress a standard towel can do, especially to lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps maintain the integrity of the individual hairs, notably following coloring.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the proper tool.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

Self-applied color lifting. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people severely damage their locks, break it off or end up with striped effects that are nearly impossible to correct. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on pre-lightened strands. Such treatments are often excessively strong for delicate locks and can cause chronic issues or color changes.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. Certain clients overapply violet-based cleansers 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. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

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

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. My advice includes scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be effective. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself bi-weekly to preserve strand health, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Building fibers are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had a lot of hair fall – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say medicated treatments. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the optimal outcomes. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Also, high-dose biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

Which error is most frequent?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the opposite is true – particularly with flaky scalp, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, they decompose and cause irritation.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a balancing act. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. It's backed by strong research and tends to show optimal results when mixed with supporting compounds. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, 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. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. 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 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