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A Color Specialist

Hair Color Expert located in the Golden State who specialises in silver hair. He works with celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I highly recommend a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much damage a regular bath towel can do, especially to grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It protects the hair while smoothing out tangles and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, notably following coloring.

Which investment truly pays off?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – made with advanced materials, with precise heat settings. Grey and blonde hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Self-applied color lifting. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I also don’t recommend keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often overly harsh for weakened hair 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. Some overuse toning shampoo until their lightened locks looks drab and lacking shine. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with stiff, brittle hair. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. If you’re using hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

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

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. My advice includes scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and aid in hair growth. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown great results. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, anxiety and nutritional deficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Follicle Expert and brand president of Philip Kingsley centers and lines targeting thinning.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will remove split ends personally fortnightly to keep my ends healthy, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are truly impressive if you have see-through sections. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a range of colors, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had a lot of hair fall – and also presently during some marked thinning after having a bad infection previously. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the most effective improvements. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It shows no real benefit. 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 hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

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 bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – notably in cases of dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. 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 balancing act. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it shouldn't harm your hair.

Which options help with shedding?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to show optimal results when mixed with supporting compounds. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

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. 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