No. This is a concern for many women especially. The size of the hair sample is so small (about 1 tbsp), and taken in very small portions from the underneath layers at the back of the head, that visibly it makes absolutely no difference to anyone’s hairstyle. Even on a man with short hair, an adequate sample can be taken without anything being noticeable. For those with short hair, as long as you have 1 cm of growth that is enough to work with.

In total you need about 125mg of hair, or roughly 1 full tbsp.  The amount is not taking in one ‘chunk’, but rather is snipped in small portions from various locations around the back of the head so as not to make the cuts visible. If the hairstyle is very short, that is still fine, you will simply need to cut more ‘strands’ of hair than if the hair is longer.  If the hair is long, to ensure the most accurate results, please do not include hair any longer than 1.5″ away from the root as that data becomes too old to use.  If scalp hair is simply not available, then the secondary location for sampling is pubic.

The full sampling procedure is provided to you upon ordering, or you can also view the general details of sample collection at the following link:  https://traceelements.com/LabServices/SampleCollection.aspx 

Certain hair dyes can affect specific levels, but are unlikely to affect your overall mineral profile  – rather, the effect will usually be specific to one mineral or, more so, one specific metal.  As long as we know which product you’ve used, we can proceed. However, it is suggested that you try to let your hair grow out at least 1/4″ or so if possible and work mainly with the untreated portion. The longer your natural roots, the easier it will be to cut the sample, and the less strands (pieces) of hair you will need to cut in order to reach the required sample weight needed by the lab.  If your untreated roots are fairly short, you will simply need to be a bit more careful in cutting the sample, and more strands will be needed.  The bulk of your hair sample should be natural hair (a tiny amount of dyed portion is not a major concern to your overall mineral profile, especially if we know which product/color you’ve used).  That being said, if your sample contains dye-treated hair, please ensure you’ve washed your hair at least 8 times since the treatment before sampling.  

Bleached hair is more problematic, and it is advised that enough virgin hair be allowed to grow out to use for the sample. 

For the most accurate reading, scalp hair is advised and preferred.  Pubic can be used as a secondary measure to verify toxic levels, or in cases where scalp hair is not available / obtainable.   For the most part, pubic will still provide reliable results, although the phosphorus level will almost certainly be elevated in pubic (and thus less relevant).  Consider pubic only if scalp is not possible.

When you order with us, you’ll receive a detailed instruction page with specific guidance on preparing and cutting your hair sample.  Simply though, your hair should be clean (freshly washed within 4 to 24 hours of collecting the sample) and free of any product (no hair spray, gel, etc).  Most shampoos are fine to use, however certain shampoos are not recommended prior to sampling as they can affect specific mineral levels. Many anti-dandruff shampoos (such as Head and Shoulders) contain zinc pyrithione, which can throw off the zinc level. The selenium in Selsun Blue can throw off the selenium level. It’s a good idea to avoid these shampoos for at least one week prior to sampling.  If your hair has recently been exposed to ocean salt water, or Epsom salt bath water, it’s also a good idea to do several hair washings before sampling.  

As our service is personalized and never assumes your levels at face value (a mistake that automated reports often make), as long as we know which products you’ve used prior to sampling we can adjust for those factors if we see anomalies in your results. 

No!  Many HTMA services chemically wash the hair sample at the lab.  While this won’t affect the toxic metal levels, it does run the risk of throwing off some of the nutrient levels.  If your purpose of testing is ONLY to understand toxic metals like mercury, arsenic, etc, then it is fine for the lab to wash the hair.  However, if you are interested in best understanding your mineral balances and how they may be affecting health, it’s best to work with a lab that does not wash the hair sample.

We work with Trace Elements Inc (TEI), one of the top two pioneering labs worldwide that follow all proper testing protocol, including NOT chemically washing the sample.