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A Color Specialist

Styling Professional located in California who focuses on silver hair. Among his clientele are celebrated actors and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to remove moisture from your strands. It's often overlooked how much stress a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to grey or color-processed hair. This minor adjustment can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while smoothing out tangles and helps preserve the strength of the hair shafts, notably following coloring.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. 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. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the actual fact is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients cause irreversible harm, experience breakage or end up with bands of colour that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I also don’t recommend keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often excessively strong for already fragile strands and can cause long-term damage or discoloration.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. Certain clients overapply toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on high-protein masks and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. If you’re using hot tools or dryers without a protective product, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

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 promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps eliminate impurities and allows treatments to work more effectively. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown great results. 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 your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. However, I consistently recommend 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 seeking quick fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Scalp and Hair Scientist and head of a renowned clinic clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will remove split ends personally bi-weekly to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are truly impressive if you have see-through sections. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having a severe illness recently. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

What justifies a higher investment?

For those with genetic thinning in women, 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 medicated treatment to see the most effective improvements. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. 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 mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, 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?

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 – particularly with flaky scalp, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. If oils are left on your scalp, they break down and become inflammatory.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it shouldn't harm your hair.

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. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you simply don’t want to or can’t use it, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – and it will clear up naturally. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – 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