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Jack Martin

Colourist located in the West Coast who excels at silver hair. Among his clientele are Hollywood stars and Andie MacDowell.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much stress a standard towel can do, especially to grey or color-processed hair. This minor adjustment can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while detangling and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A high-quality styling iron – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. Lightened strands can develop brassy tones or get damaged 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 biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with bands of colour that are extremely difficult to fix. 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 undesired tones.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their specific hair needs. Certain clients overapply violet-based cleansers until their silver or blond hair looks flat and dull. Others rely too much on strengthening conditioners and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying hot tools or dryers without a heat protectant, – notably with color-treated strands – 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. I often suggest scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a personalized serum is applied – can be effective. Still, my advice is to seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Trichologist and brand president of Philip Kingsley services and items for shedding.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

My trims are every couple of months, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Building fibers are truly impressive if you have thinning spots. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had a lot of hair fall – and also now while experiencing some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the optimal outcomes. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It shows no real benefit. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for hereditary thinning in males, 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’s the most common mistake you see?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the primary purpose of washing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – especially if you have dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If oils are left on your scalp, they break down and become inflammatory.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a careful compromise. 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?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to show optimal results when mixed with supporting compounds. If you then want to try other things to support minoxidil’s effect, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – 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 frequent culprits include iron stores, B12 and D insufficiency – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus