Hair Allergy Tests: Are They Legit? (Spoiler: No)

Have you ever heard of hair allergy tests?  Essentially, theyā€™re promoted as methods of detecting food allergies or sensitivities by analyzing a few strands of hair.  While that seems amazing ā€“ no blood tests and can be done in the comfort of your home! ā€“ they are unfortunately not regarded as evidence-based or accurate.

Letā€™s break down the differences between allergies and intolerances, why hair testing is not appropriate for either, and what is actually useful in these situations.

Disclaimer:  This post is for information purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice.  Always consult your doctor if you have questions regarding a food allergy or intolerance.

Food Allergies and Testing Methods

When my son couldnā€™t tolerate dairy (or eggs or soy) in his first year of life, I because fairly interested in the world of food allergies and intolerances.  Even as a dietitian, it took quite a bit of learning to understand some of the different conditions out there.

Most of the time, the term food allergy is thrown around in reference to a number of conditions.  But in the medical field, a food allergy generally refers to an immune response (via IgE antibodies) to a particular food protein.  That immune response is what causes symptoms like hives, itching, or anaphylactic shock.

IgE-mediated food allergies are diagnosed either via skin prick tests or blood tests. 

Skin prick tests use a very small needle (lancet) that ever-so-slightly penetrate the skinā€™s surface with a very small amount of the potential allergen.  Doctors can see if there was any response ā€“ swelling, redness, itchiness ā€“ to the skin.

According to the Mayo Clinic, are certain people that shouldnā€™t undergo skin allergy tests.  These include those who have previously experienced a very severe allergic reaction, or people who are on certain medications.  Similarly, severe eczema can make it difficult to find a large patch of clear skin to perform the test.

Those who arenā€™t a good fit for skin prick testing will be given a blood test.  You might hear terms like ELISA, RAST, or ImmunoCAP testing thrown around; these are all different types of blood tests (RAST used to be used frequently but it is less common today).

Blood tests will measure the amount of IgE antibodies specific to a certain food.  The higher the levels, the more likely it is that you have an allergy.

Wondering if these same results can be assessed with hair samples?  According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is no IgE in hair samples.  As such, providing a hair sample for an at home test (or holistic test in a doctorā€™s office) cannot provide accurate results for IgE-mediated food allergies.

If you believe you or your child has a food allergy, see a doctor to discuss evidence-based testing options like skin prick or blood testing.

the word food allergy spelled out on some scrabble tiles, next to a stethescope

Food Sensitivities, Intolerances, and Testing

Not all reactions to food, however, are based on IgE mediated responses.

For example, a non-IgE mediated cowā€™s milk protein allergy is common among infants, which typically results in gastrointestinal upset and mucous or blood in the stool.  This type of condition is thought to involve a cellular reaction.

Similarly, FPIES ā€“food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome ā€“ is a non-IgE allergy that results in severe vomiting and diarrhea within a few hours of ingestion of a trigger food.

There are also the broader terms like ā€œfood intoleranceā€ and ā€œfood sensitivity.ā€  Some food intolerances have a standard medical definition.  For example, lactose intolerance has nothing to do with the proteins in milk, but instead has to do with lacking the enzyme necessary to break down sugar in milk.

Food sensitivities do not have a standard definition (but this term is often used for non-IgE allergies, as well as other food reactions).  These could cause an adverse reaction when eating a certain food (for example, an upset stomach or headache).  These are not well understood yet.

While these conditions are very real, and some can be very serious, none involve the IgE response that traditional allergy tests measure.  As such, a traditional allergy skin prick test or blood test canā€™t tell you if you have them.

There are two conditions under this broad category that have validated testing methods:

  1. lactose intolerance, which can be diagnosed via a hydrogen breath test or lactose tolerance test for blood sugar levels, and
  2. celiac disease, sometimes called gluten intolerance, which can be diagnosed via an endoscopy to assess damage to the intestines.

However, right now, the rest of the conditions that fall under this section do not have specific tests for diagnosis that are widely accepted by the scientific community.  (This includes hair tests – though more on that in the next section).

There are some professionals that support the use of MRT testing ā€“ a mediator release test which is a type of blood test.  This looks at certain inflammatory chemicals released in response to different foods.

As a dietitian, what is being tested here does seem to make the most sense to me.  It also involves working with a certified LEAP therapist after the test in order to make dietary changes, which is much more powerful than a simple handout of foods to avoid.

However:  there is no peer reviewed research that I can currently find that supports the use of MRT for assessing food sensitivities, and the overall scientific community not accepted the use of this test at this point.  (Anecdotally, though, I acknowledge some professionals have had success with their clients).

So what’s the best steps when confronted with a possible food sensitivity?  The generally accepted clinical approach is focused on:

  1. identifying symptoms and trigger foods,
  2. ruling out other conditions, and
  3. testing the results of elimination diets to see if symptoms improve.

Hair Testing and IgG – Is it Legit?

a woman holding hair with tweezers to place in a test tube

Most hair tests claim to be able to be able to detect food sensitivities or intolerances by measuring levels of IgG.  IgG is another type of antibody that your body produces; in fact itā€™s the most common one.

However, IgG tests have not been shown to identify food allergies, intolerances, or sensitivities.  They are not proven to be accurate, and insurance companies typically do not cover them for this reason.

In fact, IgG prevalence in response to a particular food could simply indicate that an individual has exposure to that food.  Just because IgG is created in response to eating a food, doesnā€™t mean that it leads to their blood cells creating an inflammatory response. (source)

Similarly, there are some pathways to food sensitivity that may not involve IgG, which would render an IgG test less than helpful.

Several scientific bodies have spoken out against these tests.  For example, the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology put out a position statement in 2012 which stated: 

ā€œThe literature currently suggests that the presence of specific IgG to food is a marker of exposure and tolerance to food, as seen in those participating in oral immunotherapy studies. Hence, positive test results for food-specific IgG are to be expected in normal, healthy adults and children.ā€ (source)

Similarly, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology has stated:

ā€œIt is important to understand that this test has never been scientifically proven to be able to accomplish what it reports to do. The scientific studies that are provided to support the use of this test are often out of date, in non-reputable journals and many have not even used the IgG test in question. The presence of IgG is likely a normal response of the immune system to exposure to food. In fact, higher levels of IgG4 to foods may simply be associated with tolerance to those foods.ā€ (source)

Another issue with hair tests is that the specific laboratory protocol for even assessing IgG response likely varies considerably.

And of course the major problem with these tests is that they may cause you to unnecessarily eliminate foods that you donā€™t have to remove from your diet.

Personal Experiment

Imagine my surprise when a Groupon popped up for a ā€œFood Allergy and Sensitivity Test from The Allergy Testing Companyā€ when I was thinking about writing this article.  At $26, I bought it to test it out solely for the purposes of blogging about it.

First off, you should know I personally do not have any food allergies or known intolerances.  Iā€™m generally healthy and donā€™t have any ongoing symptoms or medical concerns that would make me question whether I had issues with a particular food.  I was curious to see what the test would show.

The process was pretty simple.  You printed out a sheet of paper from the company, and mailed it in along with a few strands of your hair that you plucked out and placed in a plastic bag.  Honestly, it took about 3 minutes to get it all ready and sealed up in the envelope to send out.  (Iā€™m slightly nervous that my hair is being kept in some storage front to frame me for a crime someday, but who knows.)

a woman holding up a baggie with strands of hair to be tested

Thatā€™s where the ā€œgoodā€ news ends.

This company has no information at all about how the testing is actually conducted.  I donā€™t think it even listed anywhere that it was an IgG test, though I admittedly may have missed that.

In the FAQ section of their website, they describe how their test compares to allergy blood tests:  ā€œA blood test is testing for IgE mediated allergies and will only produce results listing reactions in the immunoglobulin system (these are estimated at only 2% of all allergies).  Our hair sample test is examining changes at a cellular level because the latest science shows that up to 43% of allergies are in fact a reaction in T cells.ā€

First off, those stats are misleading – I cannot find any scientific literature to support these  claims.  And second, still no specific details as to how the hair is analyzed.

When I received my results, the packet offered slightly more information:  ā€œFood sensitivity is an immune response by the IgG antibody which is the largest circulating antibody in our immune system…There are many studies that suggest that up to 20% of the population may have sensitivities to certain foods and that these sensitivities can contribute to symptoms such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, headaches, insomnia, headaches, certain types of arthritis, autism, ADD/ADHD, eczema, chronic ear infections, gut malabsorption and many other chronic conditions.ā€

Thereā€™s a lot in that statement that is untrue ā€“ but I feel especially compelled to clarify that food sensitivities are not a cause of autism.

Anyway ā€“ moving on to the actual results.  Hereā€™s what they told me:

A sample of hair allergy test results

Out of curiosity, I eliminated all of the red ones for a few weeks.

The result?  I had no changes at all in how I felt.  Since I didnā€™t have any medical issues to begin with, there was nothing really to change ā€“ but I didnā€™t feel like I had more energy or anything like that either.

Plus, some of these results just don’t make sense in my head.  Letā€™s take a look at one of the high reactivity options ā€“ high fructose corn syrup.  This is a sweetener made from corn starch.  There are several forms, but the most common is 55% fructose and 42% glucose.  To give comparison, sucrose (aka table sugar) is about a 50/50 split of each.

One would expect that if I was displaying a “high” food sensitivity to high fructose corn syrup, that Iā€™d also display a sensitivity to either a) caramelized sugar syrup (essentially the same ingredients, albeit slightly different proportions as HFCS), b) corn, or c) perhaps a fruit that was high in fructose.  Instead, their own test results claim I did not have a problem with any of those other foods.

Obviously I’m an N=1 here, and personal anecdotes do not mean scientific proof.  But I thought some might find it interesting to see a first-hand experiment.

The Bottom Line on Hair Allergy Tests

Hair tests cannot diagnose a food allergy.

They are typically advertised for food intolerances or sensitivities, claiming to assess IgG levels.  However, IgG has not been proven to be directly connected with specific food sensitivities.

In addition to spending unnecessary money, these tests may lead to extreme limitations on foods that can cause nutrition imbalances.

And of course, it can take away the enjoyment from meals.  For example, I love walnuts and mushrooms ā€“ if I trusted my IgG results, Iā€™d have to eliminate them, when in reality thereā€™s no scientific reason to do so.

What Should You Do From Here?

  • If you believe you or your child has a food allergy: Itā€™s best to consult your doctor or allergist for a skin or blood test.
  • If you believe you or your child has non-IgE mediated allergies or food sensitivities: My best recommendation is to work with your doctor and dietitian that can help you with an elimination diet based on symptoms and diet history.
  • Wondering about MRT instead? Iā€™m still very hesitant to recommend MRT based on the lack of research. I do think that theoretically, the idea of the test (i.e. assessing the end point, rather than one avenue to the end point) offers more value than IgG tests.  Ensuring that you work with a professional is valuable too.  However, down the road we may see that this is simply another non-validated test that is not worth the money (or maybe we’ll be surprised and see evidence to support use).  Only time shall tell.

As always, the choice is yours when it comes to your own health.  If you feel better eliminating certain foods or you want to spend money on a test even if it’s not accurate just to check it out – by all means, go for it.  My hope is simply that you’ll have a better understanding of all the information and limitations.

Share:  If you have experiences with any of these tests or comments to add, feel free to share them below!

37 thoughts on “Hair Allergy Tests: Are They Legit? (Spoiler: No)”

  1. MRT has actually been mentioned as “non-standardized and unproven procedures” in the NIAID Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergies in the U.S. (https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749%2810%2901566-6/fulltext). There are zero RCT or peer-reviewed studies that support what it claims to diagnose. In fact, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics no longer permits CEU for its training and certification because it is considered not evidence based. MRT is a lab-created test and not regulated by FDA and has never been required to prove that it diagnoses food sensitivities or intolerances. It is not recommended by any of the country’s or world’s allergy or immunology experts or organizations and is not covered by insurance. MRT should not be recommended or used.

    1. Chrissy Carroll

      Thanks for your thoughts Sherry! You’re right, the Academy’s statement on MRT does state “CDR credentialed practitioners who use MRT must weigh the risks and benefits of this strategy, for which there are no evidence-based guidelines” and “While there are many evidence-based methods for diagnosing food allergies, current evidence does not support use of the mediator release assay (MRT test) for diagnosing a food allergy.” It is clearly is not a method for diagnosing food allergies. When it comes to food sensitivities, they seem to say that practitioners must weight the risks and benefits — and if those practitioners are finding success, I do wish them the best. That said, I think I made my opinion clear here that MRT does not have clear evidence-based research which is why I’m hesitant to recommend it (at this point).

    2. Sorry but I disagree with you. These tests are life changing. I had fibromyalgia PoTs headaches fatigue gallbladder issues the list was huge and on top of that obese. I have EDS type 3 and my body was suffering so badly I tried to end my life. Luckily I didnā€™t succeed as it was all down to food intolerances (except the EDS) I did whole30 first found dairy and corn flour were an issue. Found the hair strand test online did it and it came back dairy and corn as top two and a few others. It picked up my wasp problem and fabric dye issue too. Now if you google corn derivatives and start looking into the affect they have on the body it will shock you. And 100% of people Iā€™ve spoken to who have had this test done have corn or itā€™s derivatives in their list. Letā€™s just use one of the derivatives artificial sweeteners. Itā€™s causing ms autism adhd and Aspergers non alcoholic fatty liver Behavioral issues fibro pots skin issues psoriasis again a huge list.
      Food intolerances are hereditary. My sister has ms after a life on diet drinks my mother had issues with msg another corn derivative.
      Governments and pharmaceutical companies would loose so much money if everyone found out what theyā€™re intolerant to. The corn derivatives just in medications is astounding. Let alone whatā€™s in processed food.
      Why has cancer gone from 1 in 10 to 1 in 2 in my lifetime? And itā€™s funny how all these illnesses have materialised since sugar was replaced with high fructose corn syrup.
      People who negate these tests do so because they have just looked at the list and canā€™t be bothered. I know many. When you sit down and go through it you find things go in groups like nightshade family for instance or preservatives can be listed individually so that comes under corn. Iā€™ve helped so many people with re reading them and making more sense of them. And by having two parents tested helped their new born whoā€™s dairy and gluten intolerant and cried so much. Now happy. You know thereā€™s a 94% success rate and I spoke to allergyuk and they suggested the hair test as so many people had had success with them. But they werenā€™t allowed to indorse them. Wonder why šŸ¤”

      1. Chrissy Carroll

        Hi Kiki – I’m so glad you found life changing success with these. I’m always happy when someone feels better with their health. However, I am not negating the test because I can’t be bothered, but because as a medical professional, I don’t support tests that do not have established or logical scientific evidence. (And anecdotally, I had the test done, and I do not have any sensitivities that the test claimed I had). I disagree with several other pieces of information in your post – for example, I do not believe artificial sweeteners causes any of the diseases you mentioned, but if you have peer-reviewed research to show me, I’d be more than open to reading it! – but we can certainly agree to disagree. I truly wish you the best of luck with your health and wellness.

        1. Thanks for a great article. Interesting aside: I was recommended a hair test for food allergies by a naturopath and her explanation of how it worked was *completely* different to yours (still bogus though).

          1. I’ve seen SO many different explanations for them online; I think a lot of it is marketing technique šŸ™‚

  2. I paid for a hair sample test in desperation for relief from chronic IBS symptoms. Received a long list of items to eliminate from my life. Frankly virtually impossible to implement and just added to stress . I was very sceptical that I could be intolerant to so many common foods. So basically no I think they are a money spinner with bogus provenance. Even trying to cut out the offending items made little difference. And they did not coincide with my personal observation over the years. From Andrea in Grantham UK

    1. Hi Andrea! Thanks for sharing your experience. I totally agree with you that hair tests are not a legitimate method of diagnosing allergies or intolerances. I hope you’ve found some relief for your chronic IBS. <3 If you haven't seen an RD that specializes in gut health issues, I'd definitely recommend checking that out.

    2. I had a similar experience but with blood test. Popped for 53 food allergies of 150 tested and I know of a few more that weren’t tested. It’s a nightmare and avoiding them all means I don’t eat anything but plain unseasoned meat (which I can’t eat much of because I also have gastroparesis) A few years later, still having issues, I was diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. The Mast Cells are responsible for releasing histamines – you’ll have to do your own research but excessive allergies are a big warning flag for MCAS. It’s worth looking in to. Also look up NAET for allergy elimination. Best of luck to you.

  3. My sister is a little worried about her son having food allergies. Her husband and his family members have lactose allergies. It is good it knows that he could do a blood test to get it figured out if he has it as well.

  4. THANK YOU for writing this!
    I recently did a sensitivity/intolerance test because I wanted to figure out what was causing my chronic rhinitis, so was mainly interested in environmental factors.
    Imagine my surprise when the test results came back telling me to cut out gluten, wheat & lactose (along with a whole other host of foods) when I’ve never had any digestion issues & eat quite a balanced diet.
    When trying to search for answers about whether these tests are legit or not I was just bombarded by more companies claiming they can test for these things.
    So your article has really helped to confirm for me that they are a load of s**t & I don’t suddenly need to cut out half of my diet, thank you again šŸ™‚

    1. You’re so welcome! I’m glad it helped. (And good luck troubleshooting the chronic rhinitis – I know that can be frustrating!)

  5. Hi….recently had my hair analysis for food intolerance test and results came back indicating I must avoid eating chicken and pork !!!
    I had been eating chicken my whole life and had no allergies or inflammation in my body at all !!!
    I should know BECAUSE I AM ALREADY 67 YEARS YOUNG !!!
    IF EATING CHICKEN CAUSES INFLAMMATION….I SHOULD BE HAVING INFLAMMATION ALL THOSE YEARS BEFORE I TURNED 67 !!!!!

    NOTHING HAPPEN !!!!

    So I had decided that hair analysis for food intolerances ARE LOAD OF BS !!!!!

    This hair analysis was ordered by a NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR.

    1. Thanks for sharing your experience Victoria. I agree with you, unfortunately hair allergy tests are not based in science and it’s unfortunate they’re promoted as a way to find food intolerances.

    2. My hair test said eggs, wheat, milk, salmon, willow tree, brocoli, garlic acid and over 10 thing things that was over 90 PERCENT. Also ntolerance to iron, some bird, short in over 8 vitamins. Dangerous if I followed this as I’m actually iron deficient. And need the iron.

  6. We have done NAET and hair and blood testing. To be honest the NAET and the hair test helped the most. Intolerances can cause a multitude of symptoms. Difference intolerances can cause different symptoms. The problem is when people do not recognize their symptoms or are not willing to give up foods to feel better. Inflammation, bloating, holding water, back pain, joint pain, kidney pain, stomach pain, throwing up, chilling, foggy headed, headaches, skin rashes our family has experienced them all. We control them by staying away from those things proven to be intolerances. The hair test and NAET were life savers for the little ones we did not want to expose to harsh forms of testing.

    1. Chrissy Carroll

      Hi Lora! Thanks for taking the time to comment. I completely agree that intolerances can cause many symptoms. From a scientific standpoint, there is no peer reviewed evidence (or generally accepted medical evidence) suggesting that NAET or hair testing actually diagnose food intolerances. (There’s actually no accepted test for food intolerances at this point – even blood tests are only useful for diagnosing allergies). That said, if you found that those tests helped you and your family find relief from intolerances, then I’m certainly happy you had success with it and wish you continued health and happiness. šŸ™‚

  7. I just recently did the hair test I wish I would have read this first. The reviews and co. information sold me on it. Anyway, the results indicate that if I cut out everything that i love to eat I should be fine. Don from Canada!

    1. Hi Don! Sorry to hear that you ended up with a laundry list of foods they were telling you to cut out. šŸ™ Glad you were able to stumble across this article though!

    2. Thanks for your report. I was going to purchase the hair allergy test,but from your and others reports I think it may be a scam! Saved me $100. Thanks for sharing!

  8. I recently sent a hair sample for sensitivity testing (UK). All these food items were High Reactivity and Moderate Reactivity: Drinks, Gluten cereals & grains, Gluten free cereals & grains, Legumes & pulses, Meat, Miscellaneous, Nuts & seeds. The following were just listed as moderate: Cheese, Dairy & egg, Oils & condiments, Seafood & fish! Not much left is there?
    It was recommended that I eliminate all these foods for a few weeks.
    Needless to say I didn’t, hence I’m still alive! What a crock of s***!
    Thanks for posting about this.

    1. Chrissy Carroll

      Yeah, the laundry list of foods they give can be so overwhelming for people to see – I’m glad people are finding this article so they know it’s not grounded in science.

  9. Hi, I just mailed out my hair sample for food sensitivities testing, I wish I would have read this article beforehand! Though I’m curious to find out my results since I’ve already given up so many foods to help my IBD & IBS, plus skin issues and hair loss. Thanks for writing this article!

    1. JENNIFER CLARK

      Hi Johanna,
      I am exactly where you were when you wrote this… just sent in hair test, IBD & IBS, skin issues and hair loss!!
      Curious to know if you’ve found anything that works for you??

  10. Hello, this is so interesting! Iā€™ve just got my platinum test results back (groupon bargain price in the uk) testing for intolerances to food, non-food, E numbers, and vitamin & mineral deficiencies. Iā€™ve flagged up as being deficient in copper, Vit. D, zinc, Vit. B6; however for at least two years Iā€™ve been taking good quality supplements of the last three – thereā€™s no way I can be deficient in them. Copper possibly, but I eat a good balanced diet, with plenty of greens, and not too much processed food. The list of foods is weird, for example Iā€™m 100% intolerant to feta cheese, but other cheeses are okay – how?! The only bit that is plausible is the non-food; I do have bad hayfever, and most of the items listed are triggers for me – Iā€™m not however going to test my alleged intolerance to Bovines…

    It is interesting though; Iā€™m tempted to do a test at a different company to compare and contrast results. Iā€™ll take it all with a pinch of salt – which Iā€™m apparently intolerant to! Really? You need salt in your diet to live; I do however know I use too much, so I shall look at cutting back. šŸ™‚

    1. Chrissy Carroll

      Hahaha, a salt intolerance?! You’re completely right – while we all need to monitor salt in our diet and not overdo it, we definitely need sodium to live. šŸ™‚ Thanks so much for sharing your results. If you do end up testing with another company, I’d be curious to see what they report back and how it compares to the initial one.

    2. Hi. I found your comments really interesting as I am just researching whether to take up this groupon offer after not testing our families hair for many years

      I used to use an extremely reputable hair testing company which was run by an amazing lady at cost to herself but after 25 years this no longer exists as she has passed away. This organisation discovered that although I was eating a really healthy, organic diet I was not really absorbing any of the vitamins and minerals as I had a dairy intolerance

      I excluded dairy, supplemented my diet with reputable vitamins and minerals along with regular reflexology treatments and went on to have 2 very healthy children after the doctors told us that we would never conceive

      My children had their hair tested regularly every year as they grew up and we managed to discover many heavy metal issues and slight mineral deficiencies that meant by addressing these they were extremely healthy children

      1. Hi Vanessa – Thanks for your thoughts! šŸ™‚

        Yes, it is true that hair tests can detect the presence of long term exposure to certain heavy metals (which is different than what was addressed in this post as far as allergies).

        For mineral analysis – Here is a good peer-reviewed article about hair mineral analysis. Essentially, there may be some relevancy for using it as an ancillary tool, but only in combination with other lab data, and right now normal reference ranges are lacking: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3582931/

        For allergies, as mentioned in this post, there really isn’t any scientific data to support the use of hair allergy tests. But if you found them personally useful, then I certainly am happy you found something that you felt was helpful!

  11. Hi. Wanted to share my experience with my hair sample I sent to a company. This was in 2019 but I recently reprinted it because my daughter just took a slew of blood allergy testing as she has Crohns and is quite ill. Chicken was very high on her test and she always eats chicken. Cooked carrots are out and many things she eats, which is very very limited as she just had an ileostomy in December were in the red zone.
    On my hair test it showed anything over 85% what I was ā€œintolerant ā€œ to. Anchovy was on top although it was by alphabetical order! I knew I was VERY allergic to anchovies as well as shellfish (anchovies have the same protein as shellfish). It took doctors YEARS only to find out in 2020 after many endoscopes that I was severely lactose intolerant yet the hair sample said I was in 2019 and I didnā€™t even say anything to the doctor about this. I am 100% per the hair sample intolerant to titanium but I donā€™t know how I am in contact with that metal. Red cabbage showed 97% and I do have break-outs after eating it so I do think there is some truth to these samples.
    I called the company to ask about all the other foods that was left off and they said they only show what is 85% or higher and my answer to them was that I can be 83% and get sicker than a person showing 95% so can they please send me my other results. Of course they couldnā€™t at that point because my hair was gone but they couldnā€™t even if I sent in more hair as their programs donā€™t have that function to spit out everything tested below their threshold of 85%. I got my money back!

    Having said the above, I have been given blood tests, pricks etc yet I will die if I am with cats or eat shellfish and those 2 were negative! My doctor said many people who have histamine issues can show negative.

    I donā€™t know what or who to believe anymore.

    1. Chrissy Carroll

      Hi Sherry — Oh goodness, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot! <3

      You're definitely right, sometimes a negative blood test does not mean lack of allergies - it's important that those results are always interpreted with an allergist (which obviously you have done, but just mentioning for others reading). Certainly, a severe symptomatic reaction is something an allergist would pay attention to, and if anyone has a reaction like that to a food, they'd certainly want to stay away from eating that particular food.

      I hope your daughter feels better ASAP. If you haven't yet worked with an RD, that might be really helpful - insurance may cover the visits too with her medical needs.

  12. i took the hair analysis test because of groupon great deal. When i rec’d results i was very skeptical because there were some of my favorite foods on that list that were showing as High Intolerance. Chocolate being one:( i went off chocolate and all other sugars a few weeks before the test because i was thinking i had a sugar issue. The first time i ate chocolate i said Ha nothing – the test was BS. then within a few minutes i felt a strange feeling in my stomach – i hadnt eaten anything earlier that day so it had me thinking maybe the test isn’t BS. i tried dark chocolate (dairy-free) Talenti sorbetto because cream is another on that list and i felt cream was an issue before the hair test as well. sure enough i felt that same upset stomach feeling….NO NOT MY BELOVED CHOCOLATE! more testing will have to be done before i can give that one up.
    i was a bit skeptic about the test but i was curious. it pointed out some issues i knew about so it has some things right. when it came to high intolerance it pointed at some foods that i love – i will research those more & it showed a lot of foods that i cant stand the smell or taste of on high intolerance list so maybe it is right????
    if you find a great deal on groupon and want to try it for yourself by all means do it. i believe mine to be more correct than not…just my opinion.

    1. Chrissy Carroll

      Hi Kelly – If you felt like it offered you some benefit, then I’m happy for you! šŸ™‚

  13. Iā€™d have to say blood tests probably are more accurate if youā€™re really trying to rule out a real allergy, but people donā€™t realize being intolerant to something vs just mild inflammation. which sounds like your problem, so you can still eat that food in moderation but itā€™s mildly effective to Ur body. The real test would be eating those high elongated foods everyday overtime and see what happens if itā€™s not effective! I am doing the hair strand test, I know Iā€™m allergic to gluten/celiac I want to see if other vegetables or foods are on it. Also eliminating a food doesnā€™t take a week to notice a result, it takes 3 months for your body to clear or rejuvenate itself. So just like a diet, real results wonā€™t kick in like cal in/out ,unless yes, you expect fast results which is possible because if u eat bread everyday and feel bloated and disgusting and eliminate that for 5 days at the end of the day you may feel better and depending on your digestive track ppl vary. So maybe the hair strand test isnā€™t all bad either. Itā€™s telling u what u should limit (not eliminate fully unless your needing an epi pen) but to see if you canā€™t lose 15 pounds it may be because of something small like that you have to reset. I work in nutrition, fitness, and have been on every diet lost 110 gained 80. I definitely recommend breathing, blood test, but the hair test isnā€™t a waist of all money. They all sound like a waist of money use your own mind on how you feel and if your okay at your weight, energy, and how you feel than, move on. You wouldnā€™t be looking for these test if you werenā€™t bothered in the first place.

    1. Thanks for your thoughts! You are completely correct that you can be intolerant to a food and it may cause issues, and these are not identified in a blood allergy test unless someone has an IgE-mediated allergy. The science outlined above in the post, though, explains that hair tests are not approved or recommended by any major medical organization because there is not evidence-based science supporting that they correctly identify those sensitivities. Right now, diet journals and elimination diets while working with a Registered Dietitian is typically a much better avenue than a hair allergy test. My hope as an RD is that this post helps people save money on tests that are not proven to be medically accurate. Of course, if anyone personally finds a benefit to using them, then that’s great and I support everyone’s individual health journey.

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