🔗 Share this article

Jack Martin

Styling Professional operating from the West Coast who specialises in grey hair. He works with celebrated actors and well-known figures.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

I highly recommend a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much harm a regular bath towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another affordable staple is a wide-tooth comb, to use while conditioning. It protects the hair while detangling and helps preserve the strength of the strands, notably following coloring.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Silver and light-coloured hair can yellow or burn easily without the correct device.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients severely damage their locks, break it off or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. These formulations are often too aggressive for already fragile strands and can cause chronic issues or color changes.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their particular strand characteristics. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. A further common mistake is heat styling without protection. In cases where you employ styling appliances without a heat protectant, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see yellowing, dryness and breakage.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Hair loss needs a multilayered approach. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to enhance nutrient delivery and aid in hair growth. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps eliminate impurities and allows products to perform better. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown great results. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, PRP therapy – where a personalized serum is applied – can be successful. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to determine the origin rather than seeking quick fixes.

---

A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health services and items for shedding.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself every two weeks to keep my ends healthy, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are truly impressive if you have thinning spots. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a range of colors, making it almost invisible. It was my go-to post-pregnancy 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 earliest indicator of health issues when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

What justifies a higher investment?

If you have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the optimal outcomes. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – 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's ineffective. The whole thing stems from one small study done in 2015 that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they provide similarly low results.

Also, high-dose biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What blunder stands out often?

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. Many individuals refrain from cleansing as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the reverse is correct – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If oils are left on your scalp, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

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 product, treatment or supplement would you recommend for hair loss?

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 choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Excessive daily shedding occurs in response to an internal factor. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will resolve on its own. Sometimes, hormonal problems or dietary gaps are responsible – 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