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Jack Martin

Styling Professional based in the Golden State who excels at platinum tones. His clients include Hollywood stars and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to towel-dry your locks. Many are unaware how much stress a standard towel can do, particularly for silver or chemically treated hair. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. A second budget-friendly essential is a large-gap comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the hair shafts, especially after lightening.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. Silver and light-coloured hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the correct device.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals melt their hair, experience breakage or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I also don’t recommend long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause chronic issues or undesired tones.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. A further common mistake is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying hot tools or dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps remove residue and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, anxiety and dietary insufficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, PRP therapy – where a personalized serum is applied – can be successful. Still, my advice is to consulting a skin or hair specialist initially. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Scalp and Hair Scientist and leader in hair health services and items for shedding.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will trim off splits at home fortnightly 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 range of colors, making it seamlessly blended. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had significant shedding – and also currently as I’m going through some significant shedding after having awful flu a few months ago. Because locks are secondary, 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 clinical interventions to see the optimal outcomes. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

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 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Also, high-dose 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 main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the reverse is correct – notably in cases of dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, 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 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 choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as sickness, virus or emotional strain – 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