Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA): Your Complete Guide to Understanding Mineral Balance + Healing Opportunities
If you’ve ever wondered what’s really going on inside your body—beyond standard bloodwork—Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is one of the most powerful, affordable, and insightful tests available. It’s also the most requested lab I run, because it provides a quick, in-depth snapshot of your mineral status, stress patterns, and healing opportunities.
Think of HTMA like taking your car in for a diagnostic scan.
Instead of guessing, you finally get a clear report showing where things are “off,” what your body needs, and where we can start supporting your system more strategically.
Today, I’m answering the most common questions I get about HTMA so you can decide whether it may be right for you.
What Is HTMA and Why Does It Matter?
Minerals are the “spark plugs” of the body. They influence everything from your energy, hormones, thyroid health, nervous system, digestion, detoxification capacity, stress response, blood sugar balance, histamine response, and so much more.
Over time, life stressors, nutrition, toxins, medications, chronic health issues, and lifestyle factors can deplete or imbalance minerals. HTMA helps us see these patterns clearly so we can support the body at the root level—not just chase symptoms.
How Much Hair Is Needed for HTMA Testing?
To run an HTMA, the lab requires 125 mg of hair, which is roughly about a heaping teaspoon of hair. This amount can vary slightly depending on your hair texture (thicker or curlier hair may require a bit more). Every kit includes a scale, so you’ll know exactly when you’ve collected enough.
You’ll take hair from as close to the scalp as possible, cutting right against the scalp. The hair sample should also be no longer than 1.5 inches, because we want the most recent data—roughly the last three months.
Inside my Confidently Balance Your Minerals program, you’ll find full photo instructions and guidance so this process feels simple and stress-free.
Can You Interpret HTMA on Your Own?
Technically, yes… but I don’t recommend it.
HTMA isn’t as straightforward as bloodwork, because minerals work synergistically. When you change one mineral, you often shift several others. Without context, people tend to over-supplement or “stack minerals,” which can actually create more imbalance and symptoms.
That’s why I created Confidently Balance Your Minerals—to give you a clear blueprint, app-style guidance, education, community support, and step-by-step direction so you can confidently take action without overwhelm.
Can You Do HTMA If You Dye or Highlight Your Hair?
Yes! You absolutely can test even if you color your hair—just follow these guidelines:
• If you dye your entire head, wait 6–8 weeks so you have at least 1 inch of untreated regrowth.
• Some clients leave a small patch near the nape of the neck undyed for testing.
• If you highlight your hair, you can usually find untreated hair near the scalp and collect from there.
How Long Does HTMA Take and What Timeframe Does It Reflect?
Timeline:
• About 1 week for your kit to arrive
• Once you mail your sample, results typically return in 2–4 weeks depending on lab volume
Your HTMA reflects approximately the past 3 months of mineral patterns, giving a really helpful window into how your body has been functioning recently.
This month, you can get HTMA + Confidently Balance Your Minerals for $299 through 1/30/26.
Does HTMA Measure Heavy Metals?
Yes—and no.
HTMA shows levels of metals such as antimony, uranium, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, lead, and more—but here’s the important distinction:
HTMA reflects what your body is currently excreting, not your total lifetime toxic load. Many people actually see low metals on their first test. Then, as mineral balance improves and detox capacity strengthens, metals begin to show up more on retests. This gives valuable insight into whether deeper toxin evaluation may be needed.
Can You Do HTMA While on Medication?
Yes, you can.
Certain medications like birth control, blood pressure medication, PPIs, antidepressants, NSAIDs, steroids, and seizure medications may influence mineral levels—but this is actually one of the reasons HTMA is helpful. It helps us understand and support the body while those shifts are happening.
Of course, always consult your physician if you have concerns.
Can HTMA Help With Headaches or Migraines?
For many, yes—because minerals play a big role in several key drivers of headaches and migraines including:
• Stress response
• Blood sugar balance
• Hormone health
• Thyroid function
• Histamine response
• Nervous system regulation
Identifying mineral patterns gives us important direction on how to support the root contributors.
What Does HTMA Reveal About Thyroid Health?
A LOT. This is actually one of my favorite parts of HTMA.
HTMA can help us see:
• Whether you have the minerals needed for thyroid hormone production
• How well the body is converting thyroid hormone
• Whether stress physiology is impacting thyroid function
• Patterns related to cellular uptake, not just blood numbers
For many women with thyroid symptoms, HTMA is the missing link.
What Minerals Matter Most for Allergies + Histamine Issues?
Some of the biggest mineral players for histamine include:
• Copper
• Iodine
• Sodium
Low calcium and overall mineral depletion are also common in those struggling with histamine reactions.
Gut health matters here too. HTMA markers like phosphorus, cobalt, zinc, sodium, and potassium can give powerful clues about digestion, stress load, and internal inflammation patterns.
About Dee Davidson, FDN-P
Dee Davidson is a Board-Certified Functional Health Practitioner, hormone and thyroid specialist, and the creator of the Confidently Balance Your Hormones podcast. She helps women in midlife and beyond uncover the root causes of fatigue, weight gain, anxiety, gut issues, and hormonal imbalances using functional labs, science-backed strategies, and nervous system regulation.
Dee’s work centers around empowering women to finally feel safe, seen, supported, and confident in their bodies — without restriction, overwhelm, or confusion.