One clear package
Everything is included
You will not receive a set of numbers and be left to work them out alone. The package covers the collection, the analysis and Deb's personal explanation of the report.
Collection kit and instructions
An at-home kit with clear instructions for taking a small sample from the back of the head.
Laboratory analysis
Measurement of 36 nutrient and potentially toxic elements, plus 27 laboratory-calculated mineral ratios.
Written interpretation
A plain-English review from Deb covering what may be useful, what may have affected the sample and what should not be over-interpreted.
Private consultation
A 30 to 45 minute video consultation to go through the report, answer your questions and agree on any sensible next steps.
More than a lab report
The numbers are the easy part
The laboratory provides measurements. Deb's role is to help you make sense of them without turning every high or low number into a diagnosis.
She reviews the report alongside the information you provide, including recent hair treatments, supplement use and any relevant medical testing. Then she explains:
- which findings may be worth exploring further;
- which may have been influenced by the sample, hair products or external contamination;
- which findings are not worth worrying about; and
- what, if anything, is worth confirming with a further test.
A different kind of picture
Something your bloods were never looking at
Hair tissue mineral analysis measures the concentrations of selected elements in the submitted hair sample. Because hair grows over time, it is a different type of sample from blood or urine. It does not provide the same information and should not be treated as a substitute.
A number on its own can mislead. Hair sits in the world: shampoo, pool water, colour, dust and even the way a sample was cut all leave traces, and a laboratory reports what it finds without knowing which is which.
Telling one from the other is the part that takes experience, and it is the part Deb does. She reads every report against what you have told her about your hair, your supplements and your history, which is exactly why the questions come before the sample rather than after it.
What a result shows, and what it takes to confirm
Your report shows the concentration of each element in the sample, and how those elements sit in relation to one another across the months that hair was growing. That is a genuinely useful place to start a conversation, and it is where the interesting questions come from.
What one result cannot do by itself is prove a deficiency or a toxicity, measure how your thyroid or adrenals are working, or explain why you feel the way you do. Where a finding needs confirming, Deb will tell you exactly what would confirm it rather than guess.
For the same reason, do not start, stop or change any medicine or supplement on the strength of one result.
From sample to conversation
Five straightforward steps
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Check whether the timing is right
Answer the few questions below. They are about recent hair treatment and supplements, the two things that decide when your sample should be taken, so your report reads cleanly first time. Nothing is charged at this step.
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Choose your appointment
If the timing looks right, you go straight to Deb's booking page, with the fee shown in full. Pick a time, give the address your kit should go to, and pay by card, the same way Deb's other appointments are booked. If it would be better to wait, she will tell you before any of that, and you will not have paid anything.
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Receive and return your collection kit
Deb posts the kit with instructions for taking a small hair sample close to the scalp at the back of the head. You then return the sample for analysis.
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The laboratory analyses the sample
The laboratory measures the selected elements and calculates the report ratios. Deb receives the report and reviews it before your consultation. She will confirm the current turnaround, and the return postage arrangements, before you pay.
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You go through the report with Deb
Meet online for 30 to 45 minutes. Deb explains what may be useful, what is uncertain, what should not be over-interpreted and whether anything deserves conventional follow-up. You keep the laboratory report and Deb's written interpretation.
Your practitioner
Experienced care and careful interpretation
Deb Smith is a qualified naturopath, clinical hypnotherapist and psychotherapist with more than 25 years' experience supporting adults with complex, overlapping health concerns.
She reviews every report herself and keeps the conversation grounded: what the laboratory measured, what it can fairly be read to mean, and what is genuinely worth following up.
- Qualified Naturopath
- Clinical Hypnotherapist
- Advanced Diploma of Psychotherapy & Counselling
- ANPA Member No. 11/0686
- Australia-wide telehealth for adults 18+
Working with Deb
Thoughtful, unhurried and clear
Deb took the time to actually understand what was going on with me, not just one symptom but everything together. I finally feel like someone is looking at the whole picture.
Common questions
Before you choose hair mineral analysis
Is hair mineral analysis the same as a blood test?
No. Hair, blood and urine are different samples and provide different information. This measures selected elements in the submitted hair sample. It does not replace pathology ordered by your GP.
Can it diagnose a mineral deficiency or heavy-metal toxicity?
No. A hair result cannot establish a deficiency, toxicity or body burden on its own. A concerning result may be a reason to discuss possible exposure with your GP and, where appropriate, use a validated confirmatory test.
Can I use coloured, bleached or chemically treated hair?
Usually yes, it is about timing rather than a yes or no. Answer the few questions and Deb will tell you whether to collect now or leave it a few weeks. Do not assume a treatment effect can simply be corrected after testing.
Should I stop my medicines or supplements before collecting the sample?
No. Do not stop or change prescribed medicines or supplements without advice from the practitioner who manages them. Tell Deb what you take during the secure intake process so she can consider whether the timing is appropriate.
How much hair is needed?
Only a small amount, cut close to the scalp at the back of the head. The collection kit includes clear instructions so the sample can be taken neatly at home.
How long will the process take?
Timing includes postage, laboratory processing and Deb's review. She will confirm the current turnaround with you before you pay, so you are not guessing.
How and when do I pay?
By card, on the booking page, at the moment you choose your appointment time. The full amount is shown there before you confirm anything. It is the same checkout Deb's other consultations use. Nothing is taken while you are answering the questions, and nothing is taken if she asks you to wait before booking.
If you would rather pay another way, say so on a free 10-minute call and Deb will sort it out with you.
What is included in the fee?
The collection kit, laboratory analysis, laboratory report, Deb's written interpretation and one 30 to 45 minute video consultation. Optional follow-up consultations, supplements and any additional testing are separate. The full amount is shown before you pay, and it is the only thing you are charged for this.
What if Deb thinks the test is unlikely to help me?
She will tell you before you pay. You may be advised to wait, to speak with your GP, to use a different test, or simply not to proceed.
Who is this service for?
Deb provides this service by telehealth to adults aged 18 and over across Australia.
How is my information handled?
Deb uses your answers only to time your sample, arrange the service and provide your care. Information is processed and stored as described in the Privacy Policy. It is not sold and it is not used for marketing.
Before you book
A few questions before you book
Two things decide when your sample should be taken, and this is how Deb knows yours is timed right. It takes about a minute, it is free, and you will not be asked for a card at this step.
Your next step
Thank you, you are ready to book
The timing looks fine, so you can book. Pick a time that suits and pay the $310 by card on the booking page. Your kit goes out once that is done.
$310 covers the kit, the laboratory analysis, Deb's written interpretation and your consultation. There is nothing else to pay, and nothing is charged until you confirm the time.