Right Hair, Right Now: Leading Experts Discuss Favorite Items – And What to Avoid

A Color Specialist

Styling Professional based in California who excels at grey hair. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I swear by a microfibre towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to towel-dry your locks. Most people don’t realise how much harm a typical terrycloth towel can do, notably with silver or chemically treated hair. This minor adjustment can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a broad-toothed comb, to use while conditioning. It shields your locks while detangling and helps preserve the strength of the individual hairs, especially after lightening.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A professional-grade heat styling tool – ceramic or tourmaline, with precise heat settings. Lightened strands can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

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 most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I also don’t recommend chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. These chemical systems are often too aggressive for weakened hair and can cause chronic issues or color changes.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is thermal styling minus a barrier. When applying styling appliances without a protective product, – notably with color-treated strands – 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 promote root strength. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps eliminate impurities and allows solutions to be more efficient. Oral aids like specialized formulas have also shown positive outcomes. They enhance overall health for hair benefits by correcting endocrine issues, tension and lack of vital nutrients.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be effective. Still, my advice is to getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Thinning can be linked to medical conditions, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

Anabel Kingsley

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How often do you get your hair cut and coloured?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will snip damaged ends myself fortnightly to keep my ends healthy, and have color touches every two months.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Building fibers are remarkably effective if you have see-through sections. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a range of colors, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had significant shedding – and also now while experiencing some considerable hair loss after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a balanced, nutritious diet.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, 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 hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

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 2% minoxidil to rosemary oil. A 2% strength minoxidil isn’t enough to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Additionally, excessive biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

Which error is most frequent?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the contrary is accurate – especially if you have dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. If oils are left on your scalp, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a balancing act. 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?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. 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 choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try microneedling (see a dermatologist), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

For TE, you need to do some detective work. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. In some instances, the trigger is short-term – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will improve spontaneously. 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