Healthy Hair, Right Now: Top Stylists Reveal Preferred Choices – And What to Avoid

An Expert Colorist

Styling Professional operating from the West Coast who excels at silver hair. He works with Hollywood stars and renowned personalities.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

My top pick is a gentle drying cloth, or even a gentle tee to towel-dry your locks. Most people don’t realise how much damage a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to silver or chemically treated hair. This one small change can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another inexpensive must-have is a large-gap comb, to use in the shower. It safeguards your strands while smoothing out tangles and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, especially after lightening.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A top-tier thermal appliance – featuring innovative technology, with smart temperature control. Silver and light-coloured hair can become discolored or suffer heat stress without the proper tool.

What style or process should you always avoid?

Self-applied color lifting. Social media makes it look easy, but the actual fact is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, break it off or end up with uneven tones that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid keratin or permanent straightening treatments on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often too aggressive for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or undesired tones.

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

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their blonde or grey strands looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on strengthening conditioners and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. Another significant problem is heat styling without protection. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a heat protectant, – particularly on bleached locks – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

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

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to stimulate circulation and aid in hair growth. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps remove residue and allows treatments to work more effectively. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, stress and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, platelet-rich plasma treatments – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. 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 pursuing temporary solutions.

Anabel Kingsley

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

What’s your routine for trims and color?

My trims are every couple of months, but will remove split ends personally fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Building fibers are absolutely amazing if you have areas of scalp visibility. They attach using static to your strands, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it virtually undetectable. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had significant shedding – and also presently during some significant shedding after having a severe illness recently. Because locks are secondary, it’s the earliest indicator of health issues when your nutrition is inadequate, 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 medicated treatments. Regarding increased shedding, or telogen effluvium, buying an non-prescription item is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the best results. In my opinion, minoxidil compounded with other hair-supportive actives – such as hormones, anti-androgens and/or anti-inflammatories – 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 a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A mild formula such as 2% is inadequate to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What blunder stands out often?

I think the term “hair washing” should be changed to “scalp cleansing” – because the main goal of cleansing is to rid your scalp of old oils, dead skin cells, sweat and environmental pollution. I see people avoiding shampooing as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the reverse is correct – especially if you have dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. When sebum remains on the skin, they break down and become inflammatory.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a careful compromise. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it shouldn't harm your hair.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. 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 micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. 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. In other cases, thyroid imbalances or vitamin/mineral deficiencies are the driving factor – 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