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An Expert Colorist

Colourist located in the Golden State who specialises in silver hair. Among his clientele are celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to dry your hair. Most people don’t realise how much stress a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to silver or chemically treated hair. This minor adjustment can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use while conditioning. It protects the hair while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the hair shafts, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with precise heat settings. Silver and light-coloured hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Internet videos often simplify it, but the actual fact is it’s one of the riskiest things 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 extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. Certain clients overapply toning shampoo until their lightened locks looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and aid in hair growth. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, tension and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, blood-derived therapies – where a personalized serum is applied – can be successful. That said, I always suggest consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Scalp and Hair Scientist and head of a renowned clinic services and items for shedding.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself bi-weekly to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are absolutely amazing if you have thinning spots. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a range of colors, making it almost invisible. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some significant shedding after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It's ineffective. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

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. Many individuals refrain from cleansing 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. If natural oils stay on the head, 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 won’t be damaging to your strands.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will improve spontaneously. 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