Specific Tasks for Hair Analysis

A meeting of experts [47] concluded that hair analysis is not yet sufficiently researched to make it possible to make individual decisions concerning therapy from the results obtained. However, alongside blood and urine determinations and other clinical-chemical parameters, hair analysis is able, in some cases, to provide useful additional information, but cannot replace other methods. Nothing further need be added. 

Nutrition scientists have in fact rediscovered hair analysis. They have compared hair color and sex with the trace element content and sought relationships [61]. The hair was taken as biopsy 

A proportion of the bioavailable element is incorporated into the hair at any time. When the hair is growing normally the concentration ratios remain normal. The rate of hair growth will be greatly reduced by any deficiency of an essential element. This can cause falsely high concentrations to be found in the hair. The hair growth must be checked when sampling in such cases. 

Hair analysis for As, Tl, Hg, and Pb can provide firm evidence of the cause of death long after this has occurred. 

Occupational medicine and environmental medicine are independent specialties. However, they have many common points with respect to hair analysis. In most cases it is not necessary to solve the problem of endogenous or exogenous contamination in order to be able to assess exposure to a damaging substance by means of hair analysis analysis before and after cleaning is sufficient to provide an indication concerning the amount of exposure. 

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