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A Color Specialist

Colourist operating from California who excels at silver hair. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I swear by a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much stress a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to lightened or dyed strands. This minor adjustment can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It protects the hair while removing knots and helps maintain the integrity of the hair shafts, especially after lightening.

Which investment truly pays off?

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

What style or process should you always avoid?

DIY bleaching. 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, experience breakage or end up with bands of colour that are nearly impossible to correct. It's best to steer clear of long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. These chemical systems are often overly harsh for weakened hair and can cause chronic issues or discoloration.

Which typical blunder stands out?

People using the wrong products for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks lifeless and muted. Some depend excessively on strengthening conditioners and end up with stiff, brittle hair. Another significant problem is using hot tools sans safeguard. If you’re using hot tools or dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I also recommend scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and aid in hair growth. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows treatments to work more effectively. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They support the body from the inside out by correcting endocrine issues, tension and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be effective. That said, I always suggest seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Trichologist and head of a renowned clinic 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 trim off splits at home fortnightly to keep my ends healthy, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Hair-thickening particles are absolutely amazing if you have thinning spots. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some significant shedding after having a severe illness recently. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say medicated treatments. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the best results. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It doesn’t work. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can affect thyroid test results.

Which error is most frequent?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the main goal of cleansing is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, 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 break down and become inflammatory.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. If you then want to try other things to support minoxidil’s effect, or you choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

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 illness, infection or high stress – and it will resolve on its own. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – 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