Hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) is a simple, non-invasive test that measures the essential minerals and toxic heavy metals stored in your hair. It shows both your average mineral status and your present and past exposure to toxic metals.
Toxic heavy metals from the environment, along with poor detoxification, can cause a wide range of symptoms and may contribute to chronic illness. HTMA helps your practitioner see what’s going on beneath the surface.
What does HTMA measure?
HTMA looks at two things:
- Essential minerals: the average status of the minerals your body needs to work well
- Toxic heavy metals: including arsenic, aluminium, cadmium, lead, antimony and mercury
Hair is one of the best tissues for detecting these metals, because they build up in hair at much higher levels than in blood or urine. The CDC recognises hair mercury levels as a measure of exposure to methylmercury, a neurotoxin found in fish.
Why test hair instead of blood?
Hair acts as a storage depot. While it grows, the hair follicle is fed by a rich blood supply, and that blood carries both essential minerals and harmful elements into the hair.
Blood and urine only show a snapshot. Hair builds up a record over time, which makes it a useful screening tool for longer-term exposure.
Part of a root cause approach
HTMA isn’t a diagnosis on its own. We use it together with your symptoms and other functional medicine tests to spot imbalances in how your body handles essential and toxic elements.
How it works
1. Book your free discovery call
We’ll talk through your symptoms and whether HTMA is right for you.
2. Have your initial consultation
Your practitioner reviews your health history, symptoms and any previous results, then recommends the right tests for you.
3. Provide a small hair sample
The test only needs a small amount of hair, taken from the head or the body.
4. Get a personalised plan
Your functional medicine practitioner reads your results alongside your symptoms and other lab tests, then builds a plan to support your recovery.
Frequently asked questions
No. HTMA only needs a small sample of hair, so there are no needles or blood draws.
Hair can be taken from the head or the body.
Yes. We work with clients all over Ireland online, or in person at our Dublin clinic.