Hair strand drug tests are an accurate and efficient way of screening
for drug use – and are nearly impossible to cheat.
Hair drug tests have the longest detection period, and can typically detect drug use for up to 90 days. Depending on the drugs used,
a hair sample can sometimes help determine when drug use occurred and whether it’s been discontinued.
A small amount of hair must be taken directly from the person’s head. For the analysis to effectively determine drug use,
a sample of hair needs to be 1.5 inches long, and have the thickness of a pencil.
Should an individual’s hair be completely unsuitable for testing, we can still use body hair or fingernails – for an accurate result.
The collection of hair specimens in our office in Singapore will be shipped to our laboratory in Australia. The laboratory has been accredited
Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) in Australia.
What you need to know about hair testing:
Detection window
Detect drug use for up to 90 days. Depending on the drugs used, a hair sample can sometimes help determine when drug use occurred and whether it’s been discontinued.
Substances tested for:
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(THC) Tetrahydrocannabinol
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(COC) Cocaine
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(OPI) Opiates
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(AMP) Amphetamines
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(PCP) Phencyclidine
Collection method:
A hair sample of around 5-millimetre thickness is taken from the head or body of the donor and deposited in a sealed, tamper-proof envelope. This is sent to our laboratory in Australia for testing.
Advantages:
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There’s a long detection period – usually up to 90 days.
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It’s a relatively noninvasive collection process.
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If an employee briefly abstains from drugs, it typically won’t affect the results.
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It’s very difficult to cheat a hair drug test, making results more accurate.
Disadvantages:
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Hair drug tests are more expensive than other test methods.
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While hair samples can detect long-term drug use, they can’t detect recent substance use of fewer than 7 days.
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There’s a longer processing time required to get results.
How does hair testing work?
A hair drug test uses a hair sample, typically from the hair’s root, to screen for drug use. When someone uses drugs, the substance is absorbed into the bloodstream. Because each hair follicle has a blood vessel to feed the hair growth cells, the drugs are carried from the blood into the hair follicle. Traces of drugs can then be detected in the hair follicle.
When someone has short hair, the sample can still be collected, it just has to cover a larger portion of the head. If a person is bald or has a shaved head, a body hair sample can be collected.
In case the person being tested has no hair on their body, a hair drug test cannot be administered.
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