Hair more than looks

Testing for noxious chemicals and drugs
Did you know that your hair can be used to test for contaminants in your body? Hair testing is used to test for drug abuse in both Canada and the US. Opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabinoids are all substances that can test positive through a hair test. Accurate testing can go as far as 3-6 months back; with a longer hair, tests may be able to detect drug use further back in time, although the results are less accurate, and most labs prefer to test more recent hair growth (closer to the scalp).

Drugs aren’t the only use for hair testing either. Your hair can tell the story of environmental contaminants in your area. Greenpeace USA and the Sierra Club both offer a home sampling kit for only $25 which tests for mercury contamination.

Omega-3 fatty acids
If your hair seems limp and dry it may not just need a conditioner – it may also indicate that your diet is not rich enough in omega-3 fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid). This acid is important for other areas of the body as well, improving heart health and helping with mood swings.

Omega-3 fat is available in several food sources: flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, cold-water fish (tuna and salmon), omega-3 eggs, nuts (almonds, walnuts) and seeds. Because of mercury contamination in fish it may be better to use a supplement rather than trying to consume extra omega-3 through exclusively dietary changes.

Grey hair and melanoma
In 2004, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston found the cellular cause of graying hair while investigating the origins of malignant melanoma, the potentially deadly skin cancer. And believe it or not – it has to do with stem cells.