🔗 Share this article

Jack Martin

Styling Professional operating from the Golden State who specialises in platinum tones. He works with celebrated actors and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to dry your hair. It's often overlooked how much harm a standard towel can do, particularly for silver or chemically treated hair. This one small change can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another inexpensive must-have is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while smoothing out tangles and helps keep the health of the strands, notably following coloring.

Which investment truly pays off?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Grey and blonde hair can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients cause irreversible harm, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. It's best to steer clear of long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. These chemical systems are often overly harsh for already fragile strands and can cause lasting harm or undesired tones.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. Some overuse toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is heat styling without protection. When applying styling appliances without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. My advice includes scalp formulas with active ingredients to boost blood flow and support follicle health. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, tension and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – 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 determine the origin rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

---

Anabel Kingsley

Trichologist and head of a renowned clinic centers and lines targeting thinning.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are absolutely amazing if you have areas of scalp visibility. 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 noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. 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. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an over-the-counter product 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 endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. 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 genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What blunder stands out often?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the opposite is true – particularly with flaky scalp, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, 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 product, treatment or supplement would you recommend for hair loss?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. 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 simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as illness, infection or high stress – 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