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Jack Martin

Hair Color Expert based in the West Coast who focuses on silver hair. His clients include Jane Fonda and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I swear by a microfibre towel, or even a gentle tee 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. This minor adjustment can really lessen brittleness and splitting. Another affordable staple is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It protects the hair while detangling and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Grey and blonde hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the correct device.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Self-applied color lifting. Social media makes it look easy, but the actual fact is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people cause irreversible harm, snap their strands or end up with striped effects that are nearly impossible to correct. It's best to steer clear of long-term smoothing services on bleached or silver hair. Such treatments are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or undesired tones.

What frequent error do you observe?

People using the wrong products for their specific hair needs. Some overuse violet-based cleansers until their lightened locks looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on strengthening conditioners and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to boost blood flow and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps remove residue and allows treatments to work more effectively. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, anxiety and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be successful. That said, I always suggest consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to identify the source rather than seeking quick fixes.

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Anabel Kingsley

Trichologist and brand president of Philip Kingsley services and items for shedding.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally every two weeks to maintain tip integrity, and have color touches every two months.

Which low-cost item is a game-changer?

Toppik hair fibres are remarkably effective if you have thinning spots. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a range of colors, making it almost invisible. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also now while experiencing some considerable hair loss after having awful flu a few months ago. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It shows no real benefit. 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 genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What blunder stands out often?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the main goal of cleansing is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the reverse is correct – particularly with flaky scalp, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. 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 careful compromise. 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?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. 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 prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps PRP or low-level laser therapy.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will resolve on its own. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – the typical deficiencies involve iron, B12 and vitamin D – and to {treat the hair loss you need to treat the cause|address shedding, target the underlying issue|combat thinning, focus