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Jack Martin

Colourist located in the Golden State who focuses on silver hair. He works with Hollywood stars and Andie MacDowell.

Which budget-friendly product is a must-have?

My top pick is a gentle drying cloth, or even a soft cotton T-shirt to dry your hair. Most people don’t realise how much damage a regular bath towel can do, particularly for grey or color-processed hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. A second budget-friendly essential is a broad-toothed comb, to use during washing. It shields your locks while detangling and helps keep the health of the hair shafts, notably following coloring.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – ceramic or tourmaline, with adjustable temperature options. 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. Online tutorials can be misleading, but the actual fact is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. I’ve witnessed clients melt their hair, snap their strands or end up with striped effects that are extremely difficult to fix. It's best to steer clear of chemical straightening processes on color-treated or grey hair. Such treatments are often too aggressive for delicate locks and can cause lasting harm or undesired tones.

Which typical blunder stands out?

Individuals choosing unsuitable formulas for their specific hair needs. Some overuse toning shampoo until their silver or blond hair looks lifeless and muted. A few overdo on high-protein masks and end up with rigid, fragile strands. A further common mistake is thermal styling minus a barrier. 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 yellowing, dryness and breakage.

Which solutions help with shedding?

Shedding demands a multifaceted plan. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. My advice includes follicle treatments containing stimulants to stimulate circulation and support follicle health. Using a scalp detox shampoo weekly helps clear out buildup and allows solutions to be more efficient. Supplements such as Nutrafol or Viviscal Pro have also shown positive outcomes. They work internally to benefit externally by addressing hormonal imbalances, anxiety and dietary insufficiencies.

For people looking for something more advanced, blood-derived therapies – where a concentration from your blood is administered – can be effective. Still, my advice is to seeing a dermatologist or trichologist first. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to identify the source rather than seeking quick fixes.

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A Hair and Scalp Specialist

Scalp and Hair Scientist and head of a renowned clinic clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

How frequently do you schedule salon visits?

My trims are every couple of months, but will snip damaged ends myself bi-weekly to maintain tip integrity, and have lightening sessions every eight weeks.

Which bargain product do you swear by?

Hair-thickening particles are truly impressive if you have thinning spots. These particles bond to your existing hair, and it comes in a assortment of tones, making it seamlessly blended. It was my go-to post-pregnancy when I had noticeable thinning – and also now while experiencing some significant shedding after having a bad infection previously. Because locks are secondary, it’s the first part of you to suffer when your nutrition is inadequate, so I would also recommend a healthy, varied eating plan.

Which premium option is truly valuable?

In cases of hereditary hair loss in females, I’d say prescription hair-loss topicals. For excessive daily hair shedding, AKA telogen effluvium (TE), buying an retail solution is fine, but for FPHL you really do need medicated treatment to see the best results. From my perspective, minoxidil combined with additional ingredients – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

Using rosemary essential oil for thinning. It doesn’t work. This belief comes from a minor study from 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 work as little as each other.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Few individuals have biotin insufficiency, so using it may not benefit your strands, and it can alter thyroid level measurements.

What blunder stands out often?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the main goal of cleansing is to remove buildup, flakes, perspiration and dirt. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s harmful to their strands, when in fact the contrary is accurate – particularly with flaky scalp, which is aggravated by oil buildup. 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 balancing act. 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?

For genetic thinning in women, start with minoxidil. It's backed by strong research and tends to be most effective combined with additional ingredients. 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.

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 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