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Jack Martin

Colourist located in the Golden State who excels at silver hair. Among his clientele are celebrated actors and renowned personalities.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a soft fabric towel, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to remove moisture from your strands. It's often overlooked how much stress a typical terrycloth towel can do, especially to silver or chemically treated hair. This minor adjustment can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another affordable staple is a broad-toothed comb, to use in the shower. It shields your locks while removing knots and helps preserve the strength of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.

What item or service justifies the extra cost?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with smart temperature control. Silver and light-coloured hair can yellow or burn easily without the proper tool.

Which popular practice is a definite no-go?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the reality is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals severely damage their locks, break it off or end up with bands of colour that are nearly impossible to correct. I would also avoid chemical straightening processes on color-treated or grey hair. These formulations are often too aggressive for already fragile strands and can cause lasting harm or discoloration.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their specific hair needs. A number of people misuse toning shampoo until their lightened locks looks drab and lacking shine. Others rely too much on protein-rich treatments and end up with stiff, brittle hair. The other major issue is thermal styling minus a barrier. In cases where you employ flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a protective product, – notably with color-treated strands – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. For direct application, minoxidil is highly proven. I also recommend scalp serums with caffeine or peptides to enhance nutrient delivery and promote root strength. Incorporating a clarifying shampoo regularly helps clear out buildup and allows solutions to be more efficient. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown notable improvements. They support the body from the inside out by addressing hormonal imbalances, anxiety and lack of vital nutrients.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be beneficial. However, I consistently recommend getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to identify the source rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Follicle Expert and head of a renowned clinic centers and lines targeting thinning.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

I schedule cuts every ten to twelve weeks, but will remove split ends personally bi-weekly to keep my ends healthy, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Hair-thickening particles are remarkably effective if you have see-through sections. 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 noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some marked thinning after having a bad infection previously. 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.

Which product or treatment is worth splurging on?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say medicated treatments. When dealing with temporary hair loss, known as TE, buying an over-the-counter product is fine, but for FPHL you really do need prescription-strength formulas to see the optimal outcomes. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as endocrine regulators, blockers and/or soothing agents – works best.

Which popular remedy is ineffective?

Rosemary oil for hair loss. It doesn’t work. This belief comes from a minor study from 2015 that compared the effects of a low-dose minoxidil with rosemary oil. A low concentration like 2% is insufficient to do much for male pattern hair loss, so the study is basically saying they work as little as each other.

Also, high-dose biotin. Hardly anyone is biotin deficient, so consuming it probably won't help your locks, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

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 remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s damaging to their locks, when in fact the reverse is correct – especially if you have dandruff, which is aggravated by oil buildup. If oils are left on your scalp, they decompose and cause irritation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a delicate equilibrium. 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 choose to avoid it or cannot tolerate it, you could try micro-needling (under professional care), and perhaps platelet-rich plasma or light treatments.

In shedding cases, root cause analysis is crucial. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Sometimes, the cause is transient – such as flu, Covid or a period of intense 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