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Jack Martin

Hair Color Expert operating from the West Coast who focuses on grey hair. Among his clientele are Jane Fonda and well-known figures.

What affordable item can't you live without?

I swear by a gentle drying cloth, or even a gentle tee to remove moisture from your strands. Most people don’t realise how much stress a regular bath towel can do, particularly for silver or chemically treated hair. A simple switch can really minimize flyaways and damage. Another inexpensive must-have is a broad-toothed comb, to use during washing. It protects the hair while smoothing out tangles and helps maintain the integrity of the hair shafts, particularly post-bleaching.

Which investment truly pays off?

A high-quality styling iron – featuring innovative technology, with precise heat settings. Lightened strands can yellow or burn easily without the right iron.

Which hair trend or treatment would you never recommend?

DIY bleaching. Social media makes it look easy, but the truth is it’s one of the biggest gambles you can do to your hair. There are cases where individuals cause irreversible harm, snap their strands or end up with striped effects that are incredibly challenging to remedy. It's best to steer clear of chemical straightening processes on pre-lightened strands. These formulations are often overly harsh for already fragile strands and can cause chronic issues or undesired tones.

What frequent error do you observe?

Clients selecting inappropriate items for their hair type or colour. A number of people misuse violet-based cleansers until their blonde or grey strands looks flat and dull. Some depend excessively on protein-rich treatments and end up with unmanageable, weak locks. A further common mistake is thermal styling minus a barrier. If you’re using flat irons, curling irons or blow dryers without a heat protectant, – especially on pre-lightened hair – you’re going to see brassiness, lack of moisture and splitting.

What would you suggest for thinning hair?

Thinning requires a comprehensive strategy. Topically, minoxidil is still one of the most effective treatments. I often suggest follicle treatments containing stimulants to stimulate circulation and promote root strength. Applying a cleansing scalp wash often helps remove residue and allows treatments to work more effectively. Internal support including clinical supplements have also shown great results. They work internally to benefit externally by balancing body chemistry, stress and nutritional deficiencies.

In cases requiring advanced options, PRP therapy – where your own platelet-rich plasma is injected into the scalp – can be successful. However, I consistently recommend getting a professional diagnosis beforehand. Hair loss is often tied to underlying health issues, and it’s important to get to the root cause rather than chasing surface-level fixes.

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A Trichology Expert

Follicle Expert and brand president of Philip Kingsley clinics and product ranges for hair loss.

What’s your routine for trims and color?

My trims are every couple of months, but will snip damaged ends myself fortnightly to preserve strand health, and have highlights done every eight weeks.

What affordable find is essential?

Toppik hair fibres are absolutely amazing if you have areas of scalp visibility. The fibres cling electrostatically to your own hair, and it comes in a variety of shades, making it seamlessly blended. I personally applied it after childbirth when I had noticeable thinning – and also presently during some marked thinning after having a bad infection previously. As hair isn’t an essential tissue, it’s the initial area to show decline when your intake is insufficient, 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 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 prescription-strength formulas to see the best results. I believe minoxidil mixed with supporting compounds – such as balancing elements, inhibitors and/or calming components – works best.

What should you always skip?

Rosemary extracts for shedding. It shows no real benefit. 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 provide similarly low results.

Likewise, mega-doses of biotin. Rarely do people lack biotin, so taking it is unlikely to do your hair any good, and it can affect thyroid test results.

What’s the most common mistake you see?

Personally, I prefer "scalp cleansing" over "hair washing" – because the real aim of shampooing your hair is to clear away sebum, debris, sweat and pollutants. I notice clients skipping washes as they think it’s bad for their hair, when in fact the contrary is accurate – notably in cases of dandruff, which is worsened by the presence of excess oils. When sebum remains on the skin, they deteriorate and lead to inflammation.

Regrettably, follicular health and strand desires can differ, so it’s a balancing act. However, if you cleanse softly and treat damp strands kindly, it is unlikely to cause damage.

What solutions do you suggest for thinning?

For FPHL, your core treatment should be minoxidil. It has the most robust evidence behind it and tends to work best when compounded with other hair-supportive actives. Should you wish to enhance minoxidil's benefits, 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. Increased hair loss often stems from an underlying issue. Occasionally, the reason is temporary – such as illness, infection or high stress – and it will resolve on its own. 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