***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 steroid analysis service can be ordered either by group(s) of steroids (e.g. one or more of the groups of androgens, estrogens, mineralo/gluco-corticoids, etc) and/or a-la-carte (e.g. one or more of individual steroids such as pregnenolone, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol, estradiol, testosterone, etc),
For example, a male may typically order the steroid panels for androgens and estrogens. A female may typically order the steroid panels for precursors (contains progesterone) and estrogens. However a male may also be interested in his progesterone levels, while a female may also be interested in her androgen levels (especially adrenal androgens like DHEA/S). Since progesterone is included in neither the androgen nor estrogen panels, the male may order the androgens and estrogens as panels and then add progesterone as an additional single test a-la-carte. Conversely, since DHEA/S is included neither in the estrogens nor in the precursors panels, the female would order the precursors and estrogens panels and add the single DHEA/S test a-la-carte. Finally, a person of either sex may simply be interested in unisex biomarkers of stress such as cortisol/DHEA ratio, cortisone/cortisol ratio and even androsterone/etiocholanolone ratio so instead of ordering the full panels (mineralo/gluco-corticoids and androgens) containing each one of those steroids, the person would simply order cortisone, cortisol, DHEA, androsterone, and etiocholanolone a-la-carte.
<<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.
