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An Expert Colorist

Colourist located in the Golden State who excels at platinum tones. He works with celebrated actors and well-known figures.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

My top pick is a gentle drying cloth, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. Many are unaware how much harm a typical terrycloth towel can do, particularly for grey or color-processed hair. This minor adjustment can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use during washing. It shields your locks while detangling and helps maintain the integrity of the strands, especially after lightening.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. Lightened strands can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people cause irreversible harm, break it off or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often excessively strong for delicate locks and can cause long-term damage or color changes.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse colour-correcting purple shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks drab and lacking shine. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying styling appliances without a protective product, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I often suggest scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to enhance nutrient delivery and support follicle health. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, anxiety and lack of vital nutrients.

In cases requiring advanced options, PRP therapy – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. However, I consistently recommend seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health centers and lines targeting thinning.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself fortnightly to keep my ends healthy, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Toppik hair fibres 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. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had significant shedding – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having a severe illness recently. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

What justifies a higher investment?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say medicated treatments. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It doesn’t work. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Also, high-dose biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

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 remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. 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 aggravated by oil buildup. If natural oils stay on the head, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a balancing act. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it is unlikely to cause damage.

Which options help with shedding?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It's backed by strong research and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. 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 microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will resolve on its own. 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