🔗 Share this article

An Expert Colorist

Colourist located in California who excels at grey hair. His clients include Jane Fonda and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I swear by a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much damage a standard towel can do, notably with grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. A second budget-friendly essential is a wide-tooth comb, to use in the shower. It protects the hair while detangling and helps preserve the strength of the individual hairs, notably following coloring.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A top-tier thermal appliance – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Lightened strands can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

Self-applied color lifting. 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 seen people melt their hair, break it off or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or color changes.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is using hot tools sans safeguard. In cases where you employ hot tools or dryers without a heat protectant, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I also recommend follicle treatments containing stimulants to enhance nutrient delivery and aid in hair growth. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and dietary insufficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, PRP therapy – where a personalized serum is applied – can be successful. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

---

A Hair and Scalp Specialist

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

What’s your routine for trims and color?

My trims are every couple of months, but will snip damaged ends myself bi-weekly to keep my ends healthy, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Hair-thickening particles are remarkably effective if you have areas of scalp visibility. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had a lot of hair fall – and also currently as I’m going through 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 nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say medicated treatments. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It shows no real benefit. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for hereditary thinning in males, 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?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the opposite is true – notably in cases of dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If natural oils stay on the head, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

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 is unlikely to cause damage.

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

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. 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 prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. 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. 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