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Jack Martin

Colourist located in the Golden State who focuses on platinum tones. His clients include celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a smooth cotton shirt to dry your hair. It's often overlooked how much damage a typical terrycloth towel can do, particularly for grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really reduce frizz and breakage. Another affordable staple is a broad-toothed comb, to use during washing. It shields your locks while detangling and helps preserve the strength of the individual hairs, particularly post-bleaching.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

A top-tier thermal appliance – made with advanced materials, with adjustable temperature options. Grey and blonde hair can develop brassy tones or get damaged without the right iron.

What style or process should you always avoid?

At-home lightening. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the reality is it’s one of the most hazardous actions you can do to your hair. I’ve seen people melt their hair, break it off or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. These formulations are often overly harsh for already fragile strands and can cause chronic issues or discoloration.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. Some overuse toning shampoo until their lightened locks looks flat and dull. A few overdo on protein-rich treatments and end up with rigid, fragile strands. The other major issue is using hot tools sans safeguard. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a defensive spray or cream, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see discoloration, dehydration and damage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I often suggest scalp formulas with active ingredients to boost blood flow and aid in hair growth. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows products to perform better. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown notable improvements. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, tension and dietary insufficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, blood-derived therapies – where a personalized serum is applied – can be beneficial. That said, I always suggest getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Shedding may relate to internal factors, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than pursuing temporary solutions.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and leader in hair health centers and lines targeting thinning.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

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

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Toppik hair fibres are truly impressive if you have see-through sections. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it almost invisible. I used it myself in the postpartum period when I had a lot of hair fall – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having awful flu a few months ago. Because locks are secondary, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

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 prescription-strength formulas to see the most effective improvements. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It doesn’t work. This idea originated from a limited 2015 research that compared the effects of a mild minoxidil solution versus rosemary extract. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for hereditary thinning in males, so the study is basically saying they are equally minimal in effect.

Also, high-dose biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can skew thyroid readings in blood tests.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

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 harmful to their strands, when in fact the opposite is true – especially if you have dandruff, which is intensified by sebum accumulation. 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 delicate equilibrium. But as long as you are gentle when you shampoo and handle wet hair with care, it shouldn't harm your hair.

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

With female pattern loss, minoxidil is essential. Scientific support is substantial and tends to show optimal results when mixed with supporting compounds. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, or you prefer not to use it or are unable, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps injections or laser devices.

With telogen effluvium, investigation is key. Noticeable thinning usually relates to a health trigger. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense stress – 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