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An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional based in the West Coast who excels at silver hair. His clients include Jane Fonda and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a gentle tee to towel-dry your locks. It's often overlooked how much damage a regular bath towel can do, notably with grey or color-processed hair. This minor adjustment can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a large-gap comb, to use during washing. It protects the hair while detangling and helps preserve the strength of the strands, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. Silver and light-coloured hair can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

Self-applied color lifting. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, break it off or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. It's best to steer clear of chemical straightening processes on bleached or silver hair. These formulations are often overly harsh for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or color changes.

Which typical blunder stands out?

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. If you’re using styling appliances without a heat protectant, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and aid in hair growth. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They work internally to benefit externally by correcting endocrine issues, anxiety and dietary insufficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where a personalized serum is applied – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to identify the source rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Follicle Expert and brand president of Philip Kingsley services and items for shedding.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

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

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers 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 virtually undetectable. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some marked thinning after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It's ineffective. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 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 male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Also, high-dose biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What blunder stands out often?

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. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the opposite is true – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If oils are left on your scalp, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, 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?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. 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 improve spontaneously. 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