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Jack Martin

Hair Color Expert based in the Golden State who specialises in silver hair. His clients include Jane Fonda and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

My top pick is a gentle drying cloth, or even a gentle tee to towel-dry your locks. It's often overlooked how much harm a standard towel can do, especially to grey or color-processed hair. This minor adjustment can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another affordable staple is a wide-tooth comb, to use during washing. It safeguards your strands while removing knots and helps keep the health of the strands, notably following coloring.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with adjustable temperature options. Lightened strands can yellow or burn easily without the proper tool.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

At-home lightening. Internet videos often simplify it, but the actual fact is it’s one of the riskiest things you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals cause irreversible harm, snap their strands or end up with uneven tones that are incredibly challenging to remedy. I also don’t recommend keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. These chemical systems are often overly harsh for weakened hair and can cause long-term damage or discoloration.

What’s the most common mistake you see in your salon?

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their specific hair needs. Some overuse toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. When applying styling appliances without a defensive spray or cream, – 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 also recommend scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to enhance nutrient delivery and aid in hair growth. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows products to perform better. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and nutritional deficiencies.

For those seeking higher-level solutions, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where a personalized serum is applied – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and brand president of Philip Kingsley centers and lines targeting thinning.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally every two weeks to keep my ends healthy, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are absolutely amazing if you have thinning spots. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had a lot of hair fall – and also presently during some considerable hair loss after having a bad infection previously. Because locks are secondary, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your diet is lacking, so I would also recommend a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.

What justifies a higher investment?

For those with genetic thinning in women, I’d say doctor-recommended solutions. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an retail solution 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 endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It doesn’t work. 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 genetic balding in men, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Additionally, excessive 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 blunder stands out often?

In my view, we should rename "hair washing" to "scalp cleaning" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the opposite is true – especially if you have dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

Unfortunately, what your scalp needs and what your hair likes don’t always align, so it’s a careful compromise. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it won’t be damaging to your strands.

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

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. It has the most robust evidence behind it 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 simply don’t want to or can’t use it, 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. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will improve spontaneously. Alternatively, endocrine issues or nutrient shortages may be the cause – 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