Are you considering integrating hair follicle screening into your hiring and random screening process?
Many people think of drug testing as strictly a urine test. Urban legends about how to beat a urine test dot the internet. Still others may be aware of blood tests. Again, exotic methods for “cleansing” the blood capture the imaginations of online amateurs. What many don’t think of is hair follicle drug testing. Louisianna Occupational Medicine provides a hair follicle drug test that can detect drugs accurately.
How Hair Follicle Drug Testing Works
Hair follicle drug testing is done by collecting a hair sample from the head or body. It is then analyzed for the presence of drugs, or for the byproducts of drugs. Some individuals try to beat this test by coming to the testing site with their heads shaved. Since the hair can come from anywhere on the body, this trick doesn’t work. That said, hair from different parts of the body differ in how fast they grow, so results can vary depending on where the hair was located.
Drugs We Test for Using Hair
Hair follicle screening can reveal the presence of cocaine, marijuana, codeine, morphine, 6-acetylmorphine, amphetamines, and phencyclidine (PCP). It may also find oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone.
Length of Time Hair Follicle Analysis Can Cover
A hair test using a 1 ½-inch hair may tell you whether the person has done any drugs in the last 90 days. Thinking of this another way, you can ask for a test up to 90 days after a person has ingested drugs.
Determining Current Impairment
It takes anywhere from five to ten days for drugs to reach the hair, so this test is not good for finding out if someone took drugs more recently than that. This means you can’t use hair follicle testing to discover present impairment.
Eliminating Environmental Contaminants
Many worry that smoke from marijuana can get in the hair, meaning that just being around it could result in a positive test result for someone who wasn’t smoking. We test for metabolites, the byproducts of marijuana. These are produced in the body, so only person ingesting marijuana will have the associated metabolites.
Trustworthiness of Hair Follicle Testing
This is one of the best tests for preventing cheating. There is no way to create a false result on a hair follicle test. Again, though some attempt to shave their heads, even this won’t prevent us from collecting hair elsewhere on the body.
Quick Turnaround for Results
We provide test results in 3 to 5 business days.
Chain of Custody
We are experts at maintaining the integrity of the chain of custody. That means our results can be presented in a court of law with confidence that the sample was not mishandled in any way.
The Bottom Line
Hair follicle testing gives you a much more comprehensive view of a person’s drug use than a urine test or blood test will. The drugs and their metabolites are “locked” into the hair and remain there for a long time.
Many people who are about to be tested may be surprised that they are getting a hair follicle test. Most prepare for a urine test. The element of surprise helps eliminate the ability to cheat. Also, using a hair follicle test in conjunction with other types of tests can help you build a comprehensive picture of a person’s substance abuse, so that you can make more informed choices. Having the facts on your side can be a powerful position to be in.
Contact Louisianna Occupational Medicine to discuss whether hair follicle screening is the right choice for your situation. We know all the testing methods and what they are best used for, so we can guide you in making a decision.
