Hair Drug Testing Facts | FAQs | Psychemedics

What is hair drug testing?

Hair testing analyzes drugs within the hair shaft, rather than body fluids like urine or saliva, to determine whether drugs of abuse are present. Compared to the analysis of body fluids, hair testing is highly resistant to evasion by adulterating or substituting samples or by simply abstaining from drug use for a few days. Psychemedics’ patented method for detecting drugs in hair uses proprietary immunoassay and state-of-the-art GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS confirmation to permanently measure the drug molecules and metabolites entrapped in hair, which were incorporated following ingestion. This technology offers significantly greater detection ability than other methods of analyzing hair or body fluids.

Who is using hair drug testing?

Thousands of corporations use Psychemedics’ tests to screen applicants and perform random drug tests on their employees. Schools have been using the Psychemedics test since 1997 to help their students stay drug-free. Courts routinely use Psychemedics’ test in their probation, parole, and diversionary programs. The use of hair is well established, and Psychemedics has been doing hair tests since 1987.

What drugs are included in a standard hair drug test?

Cocaine, marijuana, opiates (including heroin, codeine, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone), methamphetamine, Ecstasy (MDMA), Eve (MDEA), and phencyclidine (PCP).

Does a Psychemedics hair test pull the hair out of the scalp to examine the follicle?

No.  Testing a hair follicle would require a painful collection process. The true hair follicle test requires the hair to be “pulled” out of the scalp. However, Psychemedics hair follicle test requires the smallest sample in the industry, snipping above the scalp. No hair is “pulled” out of the scalp, and the hair follicle is not disturbed. Sample collection is a completely painless, quick procedure.

What time period does a standard test cover?

A standard test of one-and-one-half inches of head hair cut close to the scalp can provide several months to detect drug ingestion.

How fast does head hair grow?

Studies indicate that hair collected at the head’s crown grows on an average of approximately 1.3 cm (or ½ inch) per month. This growth rate may vary among people; consequently, the same 3.9cm length of hair may represent slightly different time periods.

How does hair analysis compare to urinalysis?

The primary difference is the wider window of detection with hair. Cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and PCP are rapidly excreted and usually undetectable in urine 72 hours after use. Rather than the hours or days covered by a body fluid test, a hair test covers a period of months, ensuring that a drug user cannot evade the test by simply abstaining for a few days. Additional advantages include non-intrusive collection procedures, virtual elimination of test evasion through substitution or adulteration, and greater accuracy through test repetition capability. Combining an increased window of detection and resistance to evasion makes hair testing far more effective than urinalysis in correctly identifying drug users.

How soon after drug use can a drug be detected in hair?

It takes approximately 5-7 days from drug use to portion the hair containing that drug to grow above the scalp.

What is the shortest time period that can accurately be evaluated?

In most situations, the minimum time period is approximately one month. A hair test does not determine drugs used on a particular day or week.

How sensitive is hair testing in detecting drug users?

Comparison studies have proven that Psychemedics’ testing is up to 6-10 times more effective in identifying drug users than urinalysis. In other words, 85% of the drug users identified by a Psychemedics test could get through a urine screen and enter the workforce.

Is all hair testing alike?

No, Psychemedics uses its proprietary digestion method to remove virtually 100% of the hair’s drugs, thereby increasing detection capabilities. Other laboratories may leach the drug from the hair, leaving behind or destroying some of the drugs in the process. Psychemedics also employs an extensive wash procedure on test samples and analyzes the wash to ensure that any potential contamination has been removed or taken into account. Other labs may use a less effective wash and/or do not analyze the wash, putting their clients at risk for making employment decisions based on a result that may reflect external contamination.

How does Psychemedics establish its cut-off levels?

These levels are based on field studies that establish the presence of the drugs following ingestion. These levels are included in Psychemedics’ FDA submissions and are similar to the cut-off levels in the 2004 proposed SAMHSA mandatory guidelines.