Procedures - Hair Testing

Hair Testing

At Groton Dental Wellness Spa, we hope to help our patients to become more aware of the toxic burden potentially carried in the body. One additional way to aid patients is to make available take-home hair test kits.

Hair is an excretory tissue for essential, nonessential, and potentially toxic elements. In general, the amount of an element that is irreversibly incorporated into growing hair is proportional to the level of the element in other body tissues. If completed, the hair test analysis can provide an indirect screening test for physiological excess, deficiency or maldistribution of potentially toxic elements in the body. In many cases, the hair sample will provide a better indication of body stores than is evident from the levels in blood or unprovoked urine specimens.

In using the hair test to check for heavy metals in the body, it is best to use the test first as a baseline analysis, and then follow-up with annual or semiannual re-analysis of the patient's hair after mercury removal and dental revision has been completed. For some patients who are not adequately detoxing mercury and releasing it from the body, the hair test analysis may initially show a low level of mercury, and other metals. This phenomenon is due to the bodies inability to release the metals from the tissue stores, and may be a sign of accumulation of heavy metals in other parts of the body, i.e.: brain, kidney. After completing a regimen of detoxification to regain the body's ability to release and rid the body of mercury and other heavy metals, the hair test analysis may show a higher level of heavy metals, than the initial test. If the test is subsequently taken again in 6 to 12 months, the levels should begin to decrease depending on the efficiency of the mercury and heavy metal detoxification program.

For information on obtaining a Hair Analysis Hair Test Kit, please ask Dr. Evans, Dr. Nordin-Evans or Dr. Carney. You may also link to the web site of Doctors Data Inc., or Great Smokies Laboratory.

© Copyright 2002- Dental WebSmith, Inc. and Groton Dental Wellness Spa, LLP. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The information provided within is intended to help you better understand dental conditions and procedures. It is not meant to serve as delivery of medical or dental care. If you have specific questions or concerns, contact your health care provider.