Lead in hair

Lead in hair too high

A raised value means that there was more of the element in or on the hair than in the people the laboratory compares with. This may fit more exposure, through food, drinking water, work or a hobby. Often, however, the element comes from outside: from hair dye, shampoo (some anti-dandruff shampoos contain zinc or selenium), dust or water. For most elements it is not known at what value in hair health damage is to be expected. A raised value in hair is therefore not proof of poisoning.

Lead in hair too low

A low value in hair does not mean that your body has a deficiency. The level in hair poorly follows the stores in blood and tissues, and also depends on hair color, washing, hair treatment and how fast the hair grows. For toxic metals, such as lead, mercury or cadmium, a low value is the expected result. Whether there is a mineral deficiency is investigated in blood when there are symptoms or a clear reason, together with your eating pattern.

Useful for

If you want to know whether there is a deficiency, or suspect you have been exposed to a metal (for example through work, old lead water pipes or eating a lot of predatory fish), a measurement in blood or urine is more useful. The analysis can at most give a rough impression of exposure in the past few months, and is only useful if the result is not read as a diagnosis. Chemically treated hair is not suitable.

How common is it?

For most elements it is not known how often a mineral deficiency or too much exposure to metals occurs in the Netherlands. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), you take in heavy metals mainly through predatory fish, rice, organ meat and field-grown vegetables, and eating a varied diet limits this exposure. How often a hair analysis shows an abnormal value says little about how often something is actually wrong.

Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum)