Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis looks at how minerals and metals are stored in the body over time, reflecting roughly the past 8–12 weeks. This helps reveal longer-term stress and nutrient patterns that may be affecting energy, mood, regulation, and overall wellbeing.

• Hair specimens can be collected more quickly and easily than blood, urine, or any other tissue, using a non-invasive method.

• Hair analysis is more cost-effective than mineral testing through other means.

• Unlike blood, hair is less susceptible to the homeostatic mechanisms that quickly affect trace element levels.

• Long-term deviations of mineral retention or losses are more easily detected in hair than blood.

• Concentrations of most elements in the hair are significantly higher than found in the blood and other tissues.

• Hair provides a record of past as well as present trace element levels, i.e. biological activity.

• Hair provides information of substances entering the hair from the blood serum as well as from external sources.

• Hair is invaluable in the assessment of toxic metal levels. description

No. HTMA is a supportive wellness screening and does not replace medical testing or treatment. Many clients use it alongside their healthcare providers to gain a broader picture of what may be influencing their symptoms.

Yes. HTMA is non-invasive and safe for both adults and children. It requires only a small hair sample and involves no needles, medications, or procedures.

Most treatments are fine. During your preparation appointment, I’ll guide you on how to collect your sample correctly so your results remain reliable.

After submission, lab processing typically takes about 2–3 weeks. We schedule your results session once your report arrives.

Yes. During your results appointment, we review your report together and discuss practical, personalized next steps that fit your life or your family’s needs. Keep in mind we cannot technically diagnose conditions or guarantee a cure. Many clients see great results with learning more about their underlying base levels.

Item descriptionMany people feel stuck because they’ve been guessing what their body needs. HTMA helps provide a clearer starting point by looking at longer-term mineral and stress patterns that are not typically evaluated in conventional Western medicine. These patterns are more commonly considered in functional and naturopathic approaches, where the focus is on supporting the body’s underlying balance rather than only addressing symptoms. For many clients, this perspective helps their next steps feel more informed instead of trial-and-error.

HTMA doesn’t diagnose conditions, but it can offer insight into stress and mineral patterns that influence nervous system regulation, energy, and resilience. Many parents find this information helpful when supporting their child’s overall wellbeing.

You’re free to move forward however feels right. Some clients continue with follow-up support, while others simply use their insights to guide their next steps. There’s no ongoing commitment required.

Hair tissue mineral analysis is supported by an impressive body of literature in a variety of respected national and international scientific publications. Over the past twenty-five years hair mineral testing has been extensive. Each year in the United States alone, federally licensed clinical laboratories perform over 150,000 hair mineral assays for health care professionals interested in an additional screening aid for a comprehensive patient evaluation. This does not take into consideration the thousands of subjects used in numerous continuing research studies conducted by private and government research agencies.

There are many factors to take into consideration, such as:
Diet - Improper diet through high intake of refined and processed foods, alcohol and fad diets can all lead to a chemical imbalance. Even the nutrient content of a "healthy" diet can be inadequate, depending upon the soil in which the food was grown or the method in which it was prepared.
Stress - Physical or emotional stress can deplete the body of many nutrients while also reducing the capability to absorb and utilize many nutrients.
Medications - Both prescription and over-the-counter medications can deplete the body stores of nutrient minerals and/or increase the levels of toxic metals. These medications include diuretics, antacids, aspirin and oral contraceptives.
Pollution - From adolescence through adulthood the average person is continually exposed to a variety of toxic metal sources such as cigarette smoke (cadmium), hair dyes (lead), hydrogenated oils (nickel), anti-perspirants (aluminum), dental amalgams (mercury and cadmium), copper and aluminum cookware and lead-based cosmetics. These are just a few of the hundreds of sources which can contribute to nutrient imbalances and adverse metabolic effects.
Nutritional Supplements - Taking incorrect supplements or improper amounts of supplements can produce many vitamin and mineral excesses and/or deficiencies, contributing to an overall biochemical imbalance.
Inherited Patterns - A predisposition toward certain mineral imbalances, deficiencies and excesses can be inherited from parents.

We use one of the only two reputable labs for HTMA. Trace Elements is an independent testing laboratory specializing in hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) for healthcare professionals worldwide (for over 40 years). With continued growth since its inception in 1984, Trace Elements serves thousands of health professionals of all specialties in over 46 countries, including exclusive franchise agreements in 26 countries. Trace Elements and its employees are dedicated to providing timely, accurate, and precise laboratory services, high-quality nutritional products, and clinically relevant information and consultations. This is one of the best labs, not all labs are equally careful with their protocals.