Right Hair, Today: Leading Experts Discuss Preferred Choices – Plus Pitfalls to Steer Clear Of

A Color Specialist

Styling Professional located in California who focuses on grey hair. He works with Jane Fonda and well-known figures.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a gentle drying cloth, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Many are unaware how much stress a typical terrycloth towel can do, particularly for lightened or dyed strands. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a broad-toothed comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps maintain the integrity of the strands, notably following coloring.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. Silver and light-coloured hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the proper tool.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

At-home lightening. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I also don’t recommend long-term smoothing services on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often overly harsh for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or discoloration.

What frequent error do you observe?

People using the wrong products for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. A few overdo on strengthening conditioners and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. If you’re using styling appliances without a heat protectant, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Externally, minoxidil remains a top choice. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows products to perform better. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown positive outcomes. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and nutritional deficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, PRP therapy – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be effective. That said, I always suggest seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than seeking quick fixes.

Anabel Kingsley

Trichologist and leader in hair health clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I get my hair cut every 10 to 12 weeks, but will remove split ends personally every two weeks to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are absolutely amazing if you have see-through sections. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it virtually undetectable. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had significant shedding – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having awful flu a few months ago. Since hair is non-vital, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

What justifies a higher investment?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the best results. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. 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 mild formula such as 2% is inadequate 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 alter thyroid level measurements.

Which error is most frequent?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – 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 bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – particularly with flaky scalp, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Sadly, scalp requirements and hair preferences may conflict, so it’s a balancing act. Provided you wash delicately and manage wet locks gently, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. Scientific support is substantial and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. If you're interested in complementary therapies, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try collagen induction therapy (with a specialist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

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 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