Think it’s lactose? It might be — but it might be the milk proteins, or something else in dairy entirely. Our £49 hair screen covers 700+ items, with milk proteins, lactose and cheeses listed separately, so your 6-week elimination starts from a shortlist instead of cutting out all dairy and still feeling off. Report within 3 days of your sample reaching our UK lab.

What this screen is — and what it is not

What it is

• A hair-based screen covering 700+ items, including 20 dairy components — milk proteins (casein and whey), lactose, cheeses, yoghurt and more, listed separately on your report
• A starting shortlist for working out whether dairy proteins, lactose, or something else entirely lines up with your symptoms
• Non-invasive — just 9 or 10 strands of hair, with your report within 3 days of your sample reaching our UK lab
• Most useful when paired with an honest food-and-symptom diary kept from day one — the diary is what turns the shortlist into your personal answer
• Backed by our 90-day money-back guarantee — follow your 6-week elimination plan, keep a food diary, and if your symptoms haven’t improved we’ll refund you in full

What it is not

• A food allergy test — and lactose intolerance itself is not an allergy; it does not involve your immune system
• Something a hair screen can detect or confirm — a hair test does not measure lactase enzyme activity, hydrogen production, or how your gut actually digests the sugar, so it cannot tell you whether you are lactose intolerant. Only a GP-supervised hydrogen breath test can confirm that
• A coeliac screen or a test for any medical condition
• Something that settles your symptoms on its own — the report only suggests where to start, and any change in how you feel comes from removing foods during the elimination process, not from the screen

What Happens When Your Body Can’t Digest Lactose

Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. Your small intestine makes an enzyme called lactase that breaks lactose down into two simpler sugars, glucose and galactose, which your body can then absorb. If you don’t make enough lactase — whether through genetics, age, or temporary gut upset — undigested lactose carries on into your colon. There, gut bacteria ferment it, producing gas, hydrogen, and methane. That fermentation is what causes the bloating, wind, stomach cramps, and loose stools that can show up anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours after milk or dairy. It is an enzyme issue, not an allergy or immune reaction. Most adults worldwide gradually produce less lactase as they get older, though only a small minority of white UK adults notice meaningful lactose intolerance; rates are higher in people of Asian or African-Caribbean descent because of inherited differences in lactase. This is very different from a dairy protein allergy, which is an immune response and can cause skin reactions, wheezing, or, rarely, anaphylaxis. Sometimes lactose intolerance is temporary — if the gut lining is irritated for a while, lactase can dip, and tolerance often returns once the gut settles. One important honesty point: a hair test cannot measure any of this. It does not measure your lactase enzyme levels, it does not measure hydrogen production, and it cannot watch how your gut handles the sugar. So a hair screen cannot tell you whether you are truly lactose intolerant. What it can do is screen your hair sample across 700+ items, including 20 dairy components, to give you a starting list of foods to consider as you plan a structured elimination diet.

Does this sound like you?

• Bloating or a swollen, distended tummy after dairy
• Gas or wind within 30 minutes to 2 hours of eating lactose
• Stomach cramps or abdominal pain
• Loose stools or diarrhoea
• Nausea after milk or cream
• Rumbling or gurgling sounds in your belly (borborygmi)
• A sudden urge to use the toilet after dairy
• Feeling uncomfortably full quite quickly

Related foods worth checking at the same time

• Milk proteins (whey and casein)
• Cream and full-fat dairy products
• Soft and processed cheeses
• Milk chocolate and chocolate spreads
• Butter and ghee (though these contain very little lactose)
• Lactose-containing medicines and supplements
• Processed foods made with milk powder or whey
• Condensed and evaporated milk

Examples of what the 700+ item panel covers

• Cow’s milk
• Milk protein (casein)
• Milk protein (whey)
• Lactose
• Cream
• Butter
• Cheddar cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Yoghurt
• Cottage cheese
• Soft cheese
• Processed cheese
• Milk chocolate
• Condensed milk
• Evaporated milk
• Milk powder
• Whey protein
• Lactose-free milk
• Goat’s milk (contains lactose)
• Sheep’s milk (contains lactose)

How to run a focused elimination

Plan for A 6-week core elimination, then structured reintroduction one dairy food at a time.

1. Week 1: Take out all high-lactose dairy (milk, cream, soft cheeses, ice cream) and start a simple food and symptom diary on day one.
2. Weeks 2–3: Keep the elimination going and note when bloating, wind, or other symptoms ease or settle.
3. Weeks 4–6: Hold the course to the end of the core plan — a settled baseline and a diary kept across all six weeks are what make your reintroduction readable, and they’re also what the 90-day guarantee asks for.
4. After week 6: Start reintroducing small amounts of lactose-containing foods (a teaspoon of milk in tea, or a small piece of hard cheese) every 2–3 days, slowly increasing portions while keeping an eye on how you feel.
5. Ongoing: Work out your own comfortable threshold — many people manage small amounts, fermented dairy (live yoghurt, hard cheese), or lactose-free options without trouble — and use what you’ve learned to build a balanced everyday diet, leaning on the dairy foods that suit you and going easy on the ones that don’t.

Reintroduce lactose-containing foods one at a time, beginning with small amounts (a splash of milk, a spoonful of yoghurt, a thin slice of hard cheese). Leave 2–3 days between each new food and note how you feel. Many people find fermented dairy, which naturally contains less lactose, sits more comfortably than fresh milk. Hard cheeses, live yoghurt, and lactose-free alternatives are often well tolerated. Your own threshold is what matters — some people are fine with small amounts, while others prefer to stay mostly with lactose-free options. If symptoms come back strongly, take that food out again and try a different one in a few days. Remember the aim is to learn your personal pattern, not to cut out more than you need to.

One customer’s experience

Dan, 34, always felt bloated after milk in his morning coffee but could enjoy hard cheese and yoghurt without any bother. His GP mentioned lactose might be the issue, but when he cut out all dairy he still felt off. He used our 700+ item hair screen to get a starting shortlist across his whole diet, then worked through a focused 6-week elimination with a food diary from day one. His real triggers seemed to involve certain proteins and additives rather than lactose on its own. Reintroducing lactose-containing foods slowly afterwards, he discovered his tolerance was higher than he’d feared — small amounts of milk and plenty of hard cheese sat fine. The change came from the structured elimination process that helped him learn what suited him and what didn’t, not from the test itself. Dan’s pattern is one illustration; your own diary is what shows you yours.

Common questions

Is lactose intolerance the same as a milk allergy?

No. Lactose intolerance is an enzyme issue — your body struggles to break down a milk sugar. A milk allergy is an immune reaction to milk proteins (whey or casein). A milk allergy can cause hives, wheezing, or throat swelling and can be life-threatening, so it needs urgent medical advice. Lactose intolerance causes bloating, wind, and loose stools but is not dangerous. The two are managed quite differently.

Can a hair screen confirm lactose intolerance?

No. Our hair test screens your sample across 700+ items, including a range of dairy components. It does not measure your lactase enzyme, it does not measure hydrogen production, and it cannot show how your gut digests lactose — so it cannot detect or confirm lactose intolerance. Only a GP-supervised hydrogen breath test can confirm that. The report simply gives you a starting list of foods to explore through a structured elimination diet.

Will I always be lactose intolerant?

It depends on the cause. The inherited form is usually lifelong — your body naturally makes less lactase with age, more so in people of Asian or African-Caribbean descent. Temporary lactose intolerance, brought on by a passing gut upset such as a tummy bug, often settles once your gut recovers. It’s worth seeing your GP to check for any underlying cause and to talk through your longer-term outlook.

Can I eat lactose-free products if I’m lactose intolerant?

Yes. Lactose-free milk, yoghurt, and cheese have had the lactose already broken down, so your body doesn’t have to do that work. You may also get on better with fermented dairy (hard cheese, live yoghurt), because fermentation naturally lowers the lactose. A careful elimination helps you find which products and portions feel best for you.

What’s the difference between lactose and dairy proteins?

Lactose is a sugar. The main milk proteins are whey and casein. You might react to lactose alone, be sensitive to one or both proteins, or have both going on. Hard cheeses and butter have very little lactose but still contain proteins. By exploring your whole diet — not just dairy — you can get a clearer picture of which component or food seems to line up with your symptoms.

How do I know if it’s lactose or something else?

A simple starting point is to take out all dairy for the 6-week core plan and keep a detailed food and symptom diary. If the bloating eases, you’ve spotted a possible dairy link. Then reintroduce dairy foods one at a time — start with hard cheese or live yoghurt (low in lactose), then milk. If symptoms return, that’s a useful clue. Our 700+ item screen gives you a shortlist across many foods at once, so your elimination can cover suspects you might otherwise miss. Always speak to your GP or a registered dietitian before making big changes to your diet.

Should I see a GP before doing an elimination diet?

Yes. Ongoing bloating, loose stools, or stomach pain can have several causes, so it’s important to get them checked first. Your GP can look into what’s going on, rule out anything more serious, and may suggest a hydrogen breath test to confirm lactose intolerance. A registered dietitian can also guide you through an elimination diet safely, so you don’t miss out on important nutrients. Always get professional advice before cutting out whole food groups.

Related reading

• Dairy Intolerance
• Histamine in Foods
• Bloating and Gas
• Gluten & Coeliac