🔗 Share this article

An Expert Colorist

Colourist located in California who focuses on platinum tones. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to towel-dry your locks. Most people don’t realise how much harm a regular bath towel can do, notably with lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a wide-tooth comb, to use in the shower. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, particularly post-bleaching.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Grey and blonde hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the right iron.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth 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 bands of colour that are incredibly challenging to remedy. It's best to steer clear of long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause chronic issues or discoloration.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their specific hair needs. Some overuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. Others rely too much on high-protein masks and end up with stiff, brittle hair. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a protective product, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

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

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend follicle treatments containing stimulants 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 positive outcomes. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, anxiety and lack of vital nutrients.

In cases requiring advanced options, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be successful. Still, my advice is to seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than seeking quick fixes.

---

A Trichology Expert

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 snip damaged ends myself every two weeks to maintain tip integrity, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Hair-thickening particles are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it virtually undetectable. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also now while experiencing some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your nutrition is inadequate, 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. 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 best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, 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 main goal of cleansing 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 bad for their hair, when in fact the opposite is true – notably in cases of dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. When sebum remains on the skin, they decompose and cause irritation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

Which options help with shedding?

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 micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – and it will clear up naturally. 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