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Jack Martin

Colourist based in the Golden State who focuses on silver hair. He works with Hollywood stars and Andie MacDowell.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

My top pick is a microfibre towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much damage a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to lightened or dyed strands. This one small change can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a broad-toothed comb, to use in the shower. It protects the hair while smoothing out tangles and helps preserve the strength of the strands, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Lightened strands can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the proper tool.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Self-applied color lifting. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients severely damage their locks, experience breakage or end up with bands of colour that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or color changes.

What’s the most common mistake you see in your salon?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. Some overuse violet-based cleansers until their lightened locks looks drab and lacking shine. Others rely too much on strengthening conditioners and end up with rigid, fragile strands. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. When applying styling appliances without a protective product, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. My advice includes follicle treatments containing stimulants 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 positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, stress and nutritional deficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. Still, my advice is to seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

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

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it seamlessly blended. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had a lot of hair fall – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need clinical interventions to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It's ineffective. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the reverse is correct – notably in cases of dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. When sebum remains on the skin, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a careful compromise. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

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

For FPHL, your core treatment should be 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 choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – 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