CLIENT LOG IN

Correct hair sample collection is essential to ensure accurate and meaningful results. The process must be carried out carefully and in a clean environment, following specific guidelines to avoid contamination. Collecting the hair sample properly helps ensure it reflects your true internal biochemistry and isn’t influenced by external substances before, during, or after the collection.

To take your hair sample for your HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) test, please follow these instructions:

SHAMPOO YOUR HAIR THE SAME DAY, OR THE DAY BEFORE SAMPLING IT.

Hair must be clean and free of any products at the time of collection. It should be freshly washed no more than 24 hours ago using a mild, non-medicated shampoo—avoid anti-dandruff shampoos or those containing harsh chemicals. Be sure to rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of shampoo. Please avoid using conditioner, oils, gels, or any styling products after washing, especially on the day the sample is taken. Do not send hair that is dirty, sweaty, or greasy, as this may compromise the accuracy of the results.

CUT HAIR FROM ANYWHERE ON THE HEAD, AND AS CLOSE TO THE SCALP AS POSSIBLE.

Scalp hair is the most reliable and best type of hair to use for testing. If it’s not available, body or pubic hair can be used—but only as a last resort. It matters little where on the head you cut it as long it is not the edges. The way to avoid bald spots is to cut several small samples and combine them and this also helps with accurate results. 

Use clean, dry, stainless steel scissors to cut the hair sample as close to the scalp as possible.

taking the sample

Set each cut sample down on a table. Measure about 1 inch or 2.5 centimetres from the cut end near to the scalp. Cut off and discard any hair that is more than about 1 inch/2.5 centimetres long away from the scalp end. Shorter hair is excellent, and the shorter the better, as it reflects your most recent biochemistry and metabolic activity.


AVOID SENDING HAIR THAT IS LONGER THAN 1 TO 1.5 INCHES LONG. Do not send hair cut from the ends of long hair as this reflects your health many months or years prior. If you shave your head, cut hair with a clean electric razor. Save the clippings in a paper envelope, and then razor cut it again in a week or so, and repeat perhaps a few times, until you fill a tablespoon with hair or tip the scale if you have a paper scale to weigh hair.

SEND ENOUGH HAIR

The lab requires 125 mg of hair. If you have a weight paper scale, it must tip for you to have sufficient. Otherwise, please completely fill a tablespoon with hair. Then place the hair sample in the small white paper envelope provided or any clean, paper envelope and seal it using the envelope’s normal adhesive strip (the one you moisten to close). AVOID SENDING HAIR IN PLASTIC BAGS OR ALUMINUM FOIL and do not use staples, paperclips, sticky take etc.

COMPLETE YOUR DETAILS

Print your name, age, gender and lab number if you have one, on the hair sampling envelope before mailing. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

TINTS, DYES AND TREATED HAIR.

It is best for the sample to be taken from untreated hair—this means no dye, bleach, perms, or chemical treatments. If all of your hair has been chemically processed, you'll need to wait until enough natural regrowth appears to collect a sample. One option is to leave a hidden section at the back of the scalp undyed for a few months to allow for proper collection, or always take the hair sample just before treating your hair. As an added note, it is very important to use natural hair dyes whenever possible to avoid exposure to chemicals that alter your health.

OCCUPATIONAL/ ENVIORNMENTAL EXPOSURES.  

If you work or live in environments where you're exposed to potential contaminants (like industrial settings or heavy metals), it's important to minimise exposure between the time of washing and when the hair is actually cut for testing.

IF YOUR HOME HAS A WATER SOFTENER.

Before sampling hair you must shampoo it twice with un-softened tap water or reverse osmosis water from the supermarket. Do not drink reverse osmosis water as it does not hydrate the body well enough.

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