Q: Can I cut my own sample?
Yes. You can either cut your own hair sample, have a friend or hairdresser cut it, or if you are in the Los Angeles area, you can come to our office and we can cut the sample for you. If you are cutting your own sample, it may be easiest to take it from the sides so that you can see where you are cutting in a mirror. Whether you cut your own sample or have a friend do it, be sure to follow the Hair Sampling Instructions carefully. To set up an appointment for us to cut your hair sample for no additional fee, or if you are having trouble and need help cutting it yourself, call (818) 745-9558.
Q: Does the hair have to be from your head? Can it be body hair?
Hair from the head is much preferred because it provides the most accurate readings. In situations where there is insufficient hair on the head, beard, chest or arm hair may be used as a last resort. Pubic hair is not accurate. If you need help with this aspect, please contact our office.
Q: Can I use hair from anywhere on my head?
Yes, as long as it is the hair closest to the scalp. When cutting a hair sample for a repeat hair mineral analysis, we recommend you try to take hair from the same general location as the initial analysis, as this gives more reliable comparisons.
Q: How long do the sample hairs have to be? And how much do I need?
The hair sample should not be longer than 1.5 inches and can be as short as 1/8th inch if the person has buzzed hair, for example. The longer the sample length, the further back in time we are analyzing. Ideally, we want the more recent information. For a first hair analysis, 1 to 1 1/2 inches is fine (we find a ruler is helpful — many people accidentally send us hair samples 3 inches or even longer). For a repeat hair mineral analysis, you may want to use only an inch or less of hair that is closest to the scalp so that we have the most recent information and can see the more recent changes. You will have enough hair when the 1.5-inch (or shorter) cut samples will fill an ordinary tablespoon. If you have a hair sampling scale, you will have enough hair when the scale tips. If you would like us to send you a sampling kit including a scale and envelope, call (818) 745-9558 or email us. Remember that we want the sample from the hair closest to the scalp. If for some reason, you feel you cannot get enough hair, we may still be able to have the analysis performed, so please contact us for further arrangements.
Q: How do I know I have enough hair for the sample?
You will have enough hair when the 1.5-inch (or shorter) hair samples will fill an ordinary tablespoon or tip the hair sampling scale. Be sure to use the hair that was right against the scalp. If you would like us to send you a sampling kit including a scale and envelope, call (818) 745-9558 or email us.
Q: Is there anything I should do to prepare before cutting my hair sample?
YES, THERE IS! Make sure your hair has been washed, preferably with a mild soap or with shampoo, at least 4 hours (but no longer than 24 hours) before cutting the sample. So you would wash your hair and wait 4 to 24 hours to sample it. Avoid using conditioners or rinses for best results. Do not place other products on your hair such as hair cream, hair spray, gel or others until after you have cut the hair sample. Avoid any activity which will cause you to sweat excessively before cutting your sample. Hair needs to be dry when sampling, so avoid putting wet hair in hats, pony tails or any other style that will prevent the hair from drying by the time the sample is taken.
IF YOU HAVE A WATER SOFTENER: It is very important that you wash your hair twice with spring water or regular, unsoftened tap water before cutting your sample. This does not have to be twice in the same day, but needs to be two times in a row. Do not allow the softened water to get on your hair between, during or after the two washings. Once you have cut the sample, you may return to using your regular softened water. We have you do this because softened water contains sodium and sometimes potassium which will alter the analysis readings of those minerals.
Q: What is a water softener? How do I know if I have one?
Water softeners are devices used to remove “hard” minerals (usually calcium and magnesium) from the tap water. They can be hooked up to the whole house or building or just select rooms or even individual faucets, like in a bathroom. (There are filters that work to simply remove chlorine from the water; these are not water softeners.) Some water softeners work by adding an electrical charge to the water, which has no effect on the hair test. Others work by adding either sodium or potassium to the water, which then raises these levels in the hair and alters the hair test readings. If you have to periodically add sodium or some other compound to a device on your water supply, then you likely have one of these softeners and need to follow the water-softener instructions for preparing your hair for sampling. You may live in a building where this is handled for you, so you may not know if you have a water-softener. One way you can tell if the water you are using has been softened is that it will have an almost slimy feel on your skin. Additionally, softened-water doesn’t leave water stains or mineral deposits on dishes and surfaces. One more clue is that soft-water allows soap to foam up very easily. Usually one would know if they have a water softener, but if you aren’t sure, and you want to play it safe, just follow the water-softener directions on the hair sampling instructions.
Q: I use hair dye products on my hair. Will this affect the analysis results?
Most hair tints, dyes, rinses and highlights are chemical-based. The hair analysis deals with mineral content, so hair dyes usually don’t affect it. Bleaching the hair can affect it a little, so it’s best to wait until you have washed your hair 5 times after bleaching the hair before taking the sample. It is also best to have washed the hair a few times after dying it before sampling. But overall, it doesn’t make much of a difference. Ideally, for repeat hair mineral analyses, it is nice if you can cut the sample just prior to bleaching or dying. Grecian formula does contain lead which will appear on the hair analysis. Grecian formula is best avoided in general due to this toxicity.
Q: What do I do after I cut my hair sample?
Place the cut hair in a clean, paper envelope or use the one provided with the scale. Write your name, age and sex on the envelope. If you would like us to send you a sampling kit including a scale and envelope, call (818) 745-9558 or email us. Ideally, before cutting your hair sample, you would have already filled out and submitted online one of the following forms: the New Client Form – for Adults over 18 Years, the New Client Form – for Children and Adolescents under 18 Years, or the Repeat Hair Mineral Analysis Form. If you have not already submitted one of those forms, do so as soon as possible. You will also need to fill out and sign the Hair Sample Submission Form. Then mail your Hair Sample Submission Form, hair sample and payment to 815 W. Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91202, USA. To pay by credit card, fill out credit card payment section of the Hair Sample Submission Form. If paying by check or money order, make the payment to Moses Nutrition. You can also call or email us to arrange to pay through PayPal. (See Services and Pricing.)
Q: How long after I cut my hair will the sample last?
A hair sample will last months after it is cut as long as it is stored in a clean paper envelope. So you may cut a sample and then send it to us a month or two later. Ideally, you want to use a sample that has been cut more recently so that the information is more current, but an older hair sample may be used if needed. Some people will have to grow and cut their hair multiple times to get enough hair for the test (such as babies with sparse hair, or those who keep their hair buzzed very short). In such cases, the hair can be collected over multiple trimmings and saved in a paper envelope to be sent in when there is enough.