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Instructions

1. Cut hair with clean stainless steel scissors. Thinning scissors can be used on short hair.
2. Cut small amounts of hair from the nape of the neck and/or several other locations on the back of the scalp. Cut hair as close to the scalp as possible.
3. If the sampled hair is less than 4cm long, keep all of it for testing. If the hair is longer than this, cut off and keep the 4cm of hair that was growing closest to the scalp (discard the excess).
4. The hair needs to be clean, well-rinsed, untreated and uncoloured. If hair is treated or coloured, wait six to eight weeks and take a sample from the freshly grown untreated hair.
5. Place the hair sample in the envelope provided, or in a clean, clearly labelled envelope or sachet.

How much hair?

The laboratory requires 0.15gm (150mg) or about one tablespoon of hair for testing.

What kind of hair?

Head hair from the back of the head is recommended for testing. Freshly grown hair cut from close to the scalp reflects the body's most recent metabolic activity.

If head hair is not available, beard or pubic hair can be used. If there is no hair, clean fingernail clippings can be tested. These alternative tissue samples can be used to monitor toxic mineral levels, but may not always provide nutrient mineral data that is as reliable as head hair.

Do not mix different types of tissue samples, eg. do not mix head hair with pubic hair.