Hair Follicle (Hair Mineral) Test | Heavy Metals & Minerals

What Is a Hair Follicle (Hair Mineral) Test?

Who Should Consider Hair Mineral Analysis?

  • Residents near industrial zones, busy roads, or areas with potential water/soil contamination

  • People with occupational exposure (manufacturing, battery/e-waste, mining, salon/chemical work)

  • Individuals with unexplained symptoms: fatigue, headaches, hair loss, dermatitis/eczema, brain fog, tingling, reproductive concerns

  • Parents wishing to evaluate household exposure for children (alongside paediatric guidance)

  • Health enthusiasts tracking mineral balance and supplement response over time
    (General rationale drawn from environmental and occupational literature using hair as an exposure matrix.)

  • Children with autism

Why Do This Test?

Why Do This Test?

  • Time-averaged exposure picture: Unlike blood and urine that capture current/very recent exposure, hair reflects longer-term trends (weeks to months). Useful for historical exposure checks and monitoring.

  • Easy, non-invasive sample: Only ~0.25 g hair needed; painless and convenient.

  • Environmental health context in Malaysia: Studies in Penang and other Malaysian cohorts used hair to characterise exposure to metals from diet and environment, supporting its value as a screening matrix locally.

Note: Hair testing is best used as part of a broader assessment. Certain public health bodies caution against using hair alone to diagnose toxicity; we pair results with history, symptoms, and where relevant, confirmatory blood/urine tests.

What We Measure (Panels)

What We Measure (Panels)

  • Toxic Metals Panel: As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni, Al, Sb, Ba and others

  • Essential Minerals Panel: Ca, Mg, Na, K, Zn, Cu, Se, Cr, Mn, Fe, Mo, etc.

  • Optional extended profiles based on clinical indication (discuss with our team).

hair follicle analysis

Who Is This Test For?

This Hair Follicle (Hair Mineral) Test is suitable for:

  • People with possible environmental or occupational exposure
    Living or working near traffic-dense roads, industrial zones, recycling/e-waste sites, workshops, shipyards, or factories (battery, electronics, plating, paint).

  • Families with young children (including children on the autism spectrum)
    Useful as a non-invasive screen of time-averaged exposure to heavy metals and mineral patterns at home. For children with autism, results can help guide practical exposure-reduction steps and nutrition/mineral optimisation as part of a broader care plan. We’ll interpret results cautiously and may pair with blood/urine tests if indicated.

  • Individuals with persistent, unexplained symptoms
    Chronic fatigue, headaches, brain fog, tingling/numbness, sleep issues, irritability, low mood, or reduced exercise tolerance.

  • Skin, hair, and nail concerns
    Eczema/dermatitis, brittle nails, hair thinning or poor hair quality
    (Note: significant hair loss may limit sampling; we’ll advise alternatives.)

  • Neurological or metabolic red flags
    Memory/concentration issues, tremor, peripheral neuropathy, thyroid or glucose dysregulation where mineral balance may matter.

  • Fertility and pregnancy planning
    Couples trying to conceive or preparing for pregnancy who want a time-averaged view of potential exposures and essential mineral status.

  • High seafood or specific dietary patterns
    Frequent intake of large predatory fish (e.g., tuna), traditional/herbal remedies, or supplements with unknown purity.

  • Well water users and rural households
    Private wells or bore water with uncertain testing history.

  • Health optimisers and athletes
    Tracking zinc, magnesium, selenium and other minerals to fine-tune nutrition and performance over time.

Paediatric notes (quick guide)

  • Only a small amount of hair is needed; we can sample discreetly from multiple tiny spots.

  • If hair is very short or recently treated (bleach/dye/keratin), we’ll discuss timing or alternatives.

  • Interpretation for children—especially children with autism—is done in context with symptoms, diet, and (where relevant) confirmatory tests.

When you might not need this test (or should time it carefully)

  • If you’ve recently bleached, dyed, rebonded, or keratin-treated hair in the last 2–3 weeks (wait or sample new growth).

  • If acute poisoning is suspected now—blood and/or urine testing is more appropriate for urgent assessment (we can arrange both).

Not sure if you or your child fits the profile? Book a quick pre-screen consult and we’ll advise whether hair testing, blood/urine testing—or a combination—best answers your question.

In everyday language, yes—people often say “hair follicle test”. The lab measures elements in the hair shaft closest to the scalp for a time-averaged view of exposure.

Yes, with documentation. We prioritise new growth and the lab applies decontamination protocols, but cosmetics can influence results—your clinician factors this into interpretation.

A 3–4 cm proximal hair segment typically reflects ~1–3 months. Longer segments cover longer periods but are interpreted segment-by-segment.

Some families want a non-invasive way to screen for possible environmental exposures (e.g., lead, mercury) and to review essential mineral balance (zinc, magnesium, selenium, etc.). Results can inform practical exposure-reduction steps and nutrition planning as part of a broader care plan.

We’ll review symptoms, diet, water source, home/school environment, and medication/supplement history. Depending on the element, we may arrange blood (current exposure) or urine (recent excretion) tests and outline exposure-reduction actions (e.g., water filters, product changes). Any treatment decisions are clinician-guided.

Evidence is mixed. Research has explored associations between environmental exposures and neurodevelopment, but this test cannot prove causation. We interpret results cautiously and often pair them with history, diet, environment, and—if needed—confirmatory blood/urine tests.