🔗 Share this article

An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional located in the Golden State who focuses on platinum tones. His clients include Jane Fonda and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I highly recommend a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to remove moisture from your strands. It's often overlooked how much damage a standard towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. This one small change can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a wide-tooth comb, to use in the shower. It safeguards your strands while detangling and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, especially after lightening.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A high-quality styling iron – made with advanced materials, with precise heat settings. Lightened strands can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

Self-applied color lifting. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the reality is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people severely damage their locks, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are nearly impossible to correct. It's best to steer clear of chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. These formulations are often too aggressive for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or color changes.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on high-protein masks and end up with rigid, fragile strands. Another significant problem is thermal styling minus a barrier. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. My advice includes scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to boost blood flow and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by balancing body chemistry, anxiety and nutritional deficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

---

A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and head of a renowned clinic centers and lines targeting thinning.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will trim off splits at home bi-weekly to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are remarkably effective if you have thinning spots. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some significant shedding after having awful flu a few months ago. 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 balanced, nutritious diet.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say medicated treatments. 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 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 oil for hair loss. 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 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

What blunder stands out often?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the main goal of cleansing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the contrary is accurate – notably in cases of dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. If natural oils stay on the head, they break down and become inflammatory.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a careful compromise. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which options help with shedding?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. Scientific support is substantial and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. If you're interested in complementary therapies, 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.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. 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 resolve on its own. 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