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An Expert Colorist

Hair Color Expert based in California who excels at grey hair. Among his clientele are Hollywood stars and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. Most people don’t realise how much stress a regular bath towel can do, notably with lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use in the shower. It shields your locks while detangling and helps keep the health of the individual hairs, particularly post-bleaching.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – featuring innovative technology, with smart temperature control. Lightened strands can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions 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. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often too aggressive for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or color changes.

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

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. Some overuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks drab and lacking shine. Others rely too much on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. 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 discoloration, dehydration and damage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to enhance nutrient delivery and promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows treatments to work more effectively. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They work internally to benefit externally by correcting endocrine issues, anxiety and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a personalized serum is applied – can be effective. Still, my advice is to 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 pursuing temporary solutions.

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Anabel Kingsley

Follicle Expert and brand president of Philip Kingsley clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally every two weeks to preserve strand health, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Toppik hair fibres are absolutely amazing if you have areas of scalp visibility. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it seamlessly blended. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had significant shedding – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having awful flu a few months ago. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the optimal outcomes. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

What should you always skip?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It's ineffective. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, 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 primary purpose of washing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the opposite is true – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. When sebum remains on the skin, they break down and become inflammatory.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a balancing act. 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 options help with shedding?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – 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 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