***ATTACHED TO THE SERVICE DESCRIPTION, PLEASE SEE PICTURES OF HAIR/NAIL SAMPLE SIZE/AMOUNT NEEDED***
MAILING ADDRESS: IdeaLabs, LLC | 1200 18th Street NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20036 | USA
NAIL(S): The instructions for nail samples are very simple. The nails should have no polish or other decorations on them (extensions, engravings, etc). We need 2mm-3mm (~0.1in) long nail clipping from each of the ten (10) toes. See image included in the description for the bioanalysis service for some guidance on the amount of nails we need. Since nails we get from most people are small/narrow (due to regular clipping) we recommend sending clippings from both toes and fingers (if available), just to make sure we have enough sample. It is better to err on the side of sending more than enough rather than not enough, as the latter would reduce the accuracy of the test. Thus, if you have enough nail growth on your fingernails, please send clippings of those as well but place them in a bag separate from the toenails. The more samples we get, the more accurate the results. When the nail clippings have been collected, please place them a ziplock bag(s) and mail to the address above.
When the analysis is complete (10-12 days after the lab receives the samples), we will email a PDF with the results.
HAIR: For hair sample collection, the client/buyer can just watch any of the videos below on how to properly harvest a sample. Please see the image of a hair sample/clump shown in the service description in order to get an idea of how much hair we need to perform the analysis. Sending more won't hurt as it reduces the risk of inaccurate results, but a clump the size (in terms of width/length) of three (3) quarter coins when placed next to each other, is the minimum we need. It does not have to come from the same place/area of the scalp, in case getting that much hair from a single spot is problematic from a cosmetic point of view. The length depends on what the client/buyer would like to see assessed in terms of a time period. Every ~0.5in (1cm) segment of hair, starting from the scalp, represents about a month of time in the past. So, if the client/buyer needs an analysis for just the past month, then the sample should be about ~0.5in (1cm) of length, starting from the scalp/skin line. For 2 months, it should be 1in (2cm) in length, and so on. When the hair sample has been collected, please place it in a ziplock bag(s) and mail to the address above.
When the analysis is complete (10-12 days after the lab receives the samples), we will email a PDF with the results.
The mineral analysis service one can order from us is broken down into three (3) parts. Each one of those parts can be ordered separately, and also in combination with the rest. The parts are essentially the mineral groups available for analysis - nutritional elements (e.g. calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, iron, etc), toxic elements (e.g. lead, aluminium, cadmium, uranium, arsenic, etc), and miscellaneous elements found in trace amounts in humans (e.g. lithium, nickel, germanium, tin, vanadium, etc). Typically, a person orders all three (3) parts together as the results for an element from one part can support/explain the findings for an element from another part. For example, it is common for people with lead overload/toxicity to have low levels of one/more of the alkaline minerals calcium/sodium/magnesium/potassium as lead can displace those elements inside the cell. Thus, having high lead (a member of the toxic group) levels and low level(s) of one or more of the alkaline minerals (members of the nutritional group) better supports the hypothesis of lead overload/toxicity than only a finding or high lead levels, or only a finding of low level(s) of one/more of the alkaline minerals. That being said, if so desired, a person could also place an order for just the nutritional elements, just the toxic ones, just the miscellaneous ones, or any combination thereof.
<<LEGAL DISCLAIMER>>
This hair/nail mineral analysis tests not been evaluated, authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA for detecting, diagnosing, managing, treating, preventing, or influencing the course of any medical condition. The information provided in this analysis is strictly for informational purposes, and should not be used to make any qualified medical decision except under the explicit direction of a medical professional. Test values/results that fall within the normal ranges for one or more minerals do not imply absence of pathology or lack of health/medical concern. Conversely, test values/results that fall outside the normal ranges do not automatically imply the presence of a pathology and/or health/medical concern or any type. All test results should be reviewed AND validated by a qualified medical/health professional and all diagnosis, management, treatment, etc activities should be deferred to said professional.
