Skip to main content

Hair Drug Testing Facts & Drugs Detection!

 

Drug tests are mostly done for legal purposes, for instance test for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, testing as part of legal probation, employment condition where drug use is either illegal or dangerous, and athletes who may use performance-enhancing drugs.

Drugs Detection of Hair Drug Testing

Hair drug test detects the presence of drugs and their metabolites in the hair specimen collected from a donor.

Drugs detectable in hair:

  • Amphetamines
  • Barbiturates
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Cocaine
  • Methadone
  • Meperidine
  • Opiates
  • PCP
  • Oxycodone
  • Propoxyphene
  • Cannabinoids
  • Tramadol
  • Fentanyl
  • Sufentanil

Hair Drug Testing Facts

  1. Hair drug testing method allows detection of substances that have been frequently or infrequently used over a longer period of time (up to 90 days).
  2. About 100 gram sample of hair (100 to 120 strands) is cut close to the scalp by the collector. The collected sample is sent to a sophisticated laboratory where the hair samples are screened for any illicit substances. The results are available within 1 to 5 working days.
  3. The hair specimens are usually cleansed of any external contamination (powders, smoke, etc.) by washing them with special shampoos before screening. Then, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methodology is utilized to detect the presence of any illicit parent drugs or their metabolites.
  4. If the samples test positive, a second screening of the samples are done by subjecting them to Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry or Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry confirmation testing.
  5. The hair testing method is the hardest drug test to beat and reduces the risk of adulteration or substitution since the sample is collected in full view of the lab personnel.
  6. There are chemical adulterants commercially available like shampoos, dyes, bleaches, etc., but the effectiveness of these products is not established.
  7. It takes a couple of days (between 5–10 days) after the last use for the substance to be detectable in hair. There are more advanced hair drug tests that can detect prescription drug abuse.
  8. This is the least form of intrusive testing and more expensive than other drug testing methods, but provides very accurate results.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What is Drug Test Kits?

  A drug test kit is a device or substance used to detect the presence of drugs or other substances in a person’s body. There are several types of drug test kits available, including: Urine drug test kits : These kits are used to detect drugs in a person’s urine, and are commonly  used for pre-employment , random, and post-accident drug testing. Saliva drug test kits : These kits are used to detect drugs in a person’s saliva, and are becoming more common as they are easy to administer, non-invasive and can detect recent drug use. Hair drug test kits : These kits are used to detect drugs in a person’s hair, and can detect drug use over a longer period of time. Blood drug test kits : These kits are used to detect drugs in a person’s blood, and are considered the most accurate method of testing but are invasive and costly. Sweat drug test kits : These kits are used to detect drugs in a person’s sweat, and are less common but can detect recent drug use. Drug test kits can detect a...

Pros and Cons of Mandatory Drug Screening In Schools

  Recently, there has been a significant rise in substance use among teenagers. Research by the  National Institute on Drug Abuse  (NIDA) found that more than 20% of 8th graders have consumed an illegal substance at least once, and 11% of 12th graders are addicted to any one of the illegal substances. It is one of the biggest problems we face as a society since these drugs are wreaking havoc on our younger generation. Many public schools have begun implementing mandatory drug testing policies for their student body to combat this issue. The  5-panel drug test  is often used to detect substance use within schools. Yet, the effectiveness of these programs is still not apparent. In this article, we will analyze the boon and bane of mandatory drug testing to determine whether it should be compulsory for every school to install these programs. The Effectiveness of Mandatory Drug Tests A report based on the Psychological Corporation’s Drug Testing and Workplace Screen...

How to Pass Fingernail Drug Test?

  The truth is fingernail or nail bed drug tests are extremely difficult to beat if you are a drug abuser. Nail bed drug test is similar to the hair drug test with a detection window of 3-6 months and unlike the hair, drugs can get trapped in the keratin fibers of the nail making it near impossible to beat compared to oral saliva or mouth swab drug test or even hair drug test that have a higher success rate.  Keep in mind : Unlike hair testing, nail testing can only tell you if a substance or Drug was used but not when it was used. Since nail bed drug test has similar detection window compared to hair drug, check if you pass a hair drug test through our hair drug testing kit. What is Fingernail Drug Test?  A nail bed drug test or a fingernail drug test is a method employed to screen the nails for the presence of drug(s) or its metabolites. Collection of nails for testing is easier and is done under direct supervision of the collector. The results are stab...