Hair as a biopsy material for the assessment of trace element status in infancy. A review.

Results of the studies reviewed suggest that hair represents a promising biopsy material to study trace element redistribution and changes in trace-element status during early infancy. Caution must be exercised in sampling and only proximal, recently-grown hair collected. Appropriate standard washing procedures must also be employed and sensitive analytical techniques used for the determination of hair trace element concentrations.