Despite the rigorous wash procedures that hair samples go through in a quality lab, these metals can yield false positive results. Therefore, you need to question the use of hair treatments and, if they are used by the patient, be sure to submit only new hair growth, less than one inch from the scalp. Ideally, the sample should be taken about six weeks after the last cosmetic treatment. Commonly associated with significant levels of heavy metals in hair, invariably with mercury, is a distinct pattern of malabsorption of essential elements. The malabsorption pattern is characterized by very low levels of calcium, manganese, cobalt, chromium, copper and sometimes zinc.
Low sulfur is something else to look out for.
Very often this means that the body is not effectively moving the heavy metal and often reflects a burden on the liver. Sulfhydryl amino acids are an important part of the treatment here. To help displace it, use magnesium, calcium or manganese. If you use zinc to displace cadmium, be aware that it is in balance with copper, and that taking large amounts of zinc may deplete copper. Also, at the gut level, lead and cadmium absorption are increased with insufficient dietary calcium, iron and zinc.