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Human hair as a diagnostic tool in medicine

Florou, Venetia A. ; Manaprasertsak, Auraya LU ; Slyusarenko, Maria LU ; Amend, Sarah R. ; Kazi, Julhash U. LU orcid ; Hammarlund, Emma U. LU orcid and Pienta, Kenneth J. LU (2025) In Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports 43.
Abstract

Hair analysis has been used in the past as a method to explore environmental exposure to chemicals, toxins or drug ingestion, with wide applications in forensic science, environmental studies, anthropology and medicine. Although not a conventional sample type, hair offers significant advantages over traditional biospecimens, such as blood or urine. These include its stability, non-invasive nature and ease of collection and handling, as well as its ability to provide a “fossilized” record of a person's health or living conditions. These unique characteristics, along with advancements in analytical techniques have enabled hair analysis as a promising tool for the development of new biomarkers for both prognostic and diagnostic purposes in... (More)

Hair analysis has been used in the past as a method to explore environmental exposure to chemicals, toxins or drug ingestion, with wide applications in forensic science, environmental studies, anthropology and medicine. Although not a conventional sample type, hair offers significant advantages over traditional biospecimens, such as blood or urine. These include its stability, non-invasive nature and ease of collection and handling, as well as its ability to provide a “fossilized” record of a person's health or living conditions. These unique characteristics, along with advancements in analytical techniques have enabled hair analysis as a promising tool for the development of new biomarkers for both prognostic and diagnostic purposes in a range of medical conditions. The new developments in hair analysis add to its recognized diagnostic value in fields such as toxicology and pharmacology. In this review, we summarize recent data, ongoing developments and emerging possibilities of hair analysis as a scientific and diagnostic tool.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Biomarkers, Hair analysis, Heavy metals
in
Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports
volume
43
article number
102129
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105009625694
  • pmid:40688495
ISSN
2405-5808
DOI
10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.102129
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b0a93ee5-3f30-40e4-80e1-935061232f20
date added to LUP
2025-11-04 14:57:37
date last changed
2025-12-02 17:19:47
@article{b0a93ee5-3f30-40e4-80e1-935061232f20,
  abstract     = {{<p>Hair analysis has been used in the past as a method to explore environmental exposure to chemicals, toxins or drug ingestion, with wide applications in forensic science, environmental studies, anthropology and medicine. Although not a conventional sample type, hair offers significant advantages over traditional biospecimens, such as blood or urine. These include its stability, non-invasive nature and ease of collection and handling, as well as its ability to provide a “fossilized” record of a person's health or living conditions. These unique characteristics, along with advancements in analytical techniques have enabled hair analysis as a promising tool for the development of new biomarkers for both prognostic and diagnostic purposes in a range of medical conditions. The new developments in hair analysis add to its recognized diagnostic value in fields such as toxicology and pharmacology. In this review, we summarize recent data, ongoing developments and emerging possibilities of hair analysis as a scientific and diagnostic tool.</p>}},
  author       = {{Florou, Venetia A. and Manaprasertsak, Auraya and Slyusarenko, Maria and Amend, Sarah R. and Kazi, Julhash U. and Hammarlund, Emma U. and Pienta, Kenneth J.}},
  issn         = {{2405-5808}},
  keywords     = {{Biomarkers; Hair analysis; Heavy metals}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports}},
  title        = {{Human hair as a diagnostic tool in medicine}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.102129}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.bbrep.2025.102129}},
  volume       = {{43}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}