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A Color Specialist

Colourist operating from California who focuses on platinum tones. Among his clientele are Jane Fonda and renowned personalities.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

I swear by a gentle drying cloth, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to dry your hair. Most people don’t realise how much harm a typical terrycloth towel can do, particularly for silver or chemically treated hair. A simple switch can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while smoothing out tangles and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Silver and light-coloured hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, experience breakage or end up with uneven tones that are nearly impossible to correct. It's best to steer clear of keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often too aggressive for already fragile strands and can cause chronic issues or undesired tones.

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

People using the wrong products for their particular strand characteristics. Some overuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their lightened locks looks lifeless and muted. Others rely too much on high-protein masks and end up with rigid, fragile strands. The other major issue is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest follicle treatments containing stimulants to stimulate circulation and aid in hair growth. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup 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 balancing body chemistry, tension and nutritional deficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where a personalized serum is applied – can be successful. Still, my advice is to consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to identify the source rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health 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 remove split ends personally bi-weekly to maintain tip integrity, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are truly impressive if you have areas of scalp visibility. They attach using static to your strands, 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 awful flu a few months ago. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

What should you always skip?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It shows no real benefit. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Also, high-dose 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?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the primary purpose of washing is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the reverse is correct – especially if you have dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which options help with shedding?

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 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. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will improve spontaneously. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – 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