Hair Drug Testing

Hair drug testing, while not as commonly used as urine or oral fluid testing, is used at times when a business may have situations where a larger detection window for use of drugs may be required. Drugs in hair may be detectable for approx. 90 days, whereas drugs in urine are generally detectable for one to seven days (or longer in chronic users of prescription or illicit drugs). This is sometimes referred to as hair follicle testing, however the follicle is not actually the part of the hair that is tested.

What is Hair Drug Testing?

Hair drug testing detects chronic drug use by analyzing a small sample of hair. A hair drug test is widely valued because, unlike other testing methods, it reveals a longer history of drug use. This makes it an ideal option for pre-employment screening, court-ordered programs, and safety-sensitive industries where a comprehensive overview of substance use is important for informed decision-making. During a hair drug test, a technician cuts a small sample of hair from the back of the head, close to the scalp. The amount taken is small and done in a way that’s not very noticeable. The hair is then sent to a lab, where it’s tested for drug use over the past few months. If there isn’t enough hair on the head, body hair may be used instead.

Hair Drug Testing as Follow-Up Testing

Due to the lengthy detection window, it's often employed for follow-up testing, especially when an individual has disclosed or been identified with a substance use disorder. In such situations, confirming abstinence from the substance is crucial, and hair testing steps in with its extended timeframe, providing a reliable means to gauge an employee's continued commitment to a drug-free lifestyle.

Hair Drug Testing & Cheating

Hair drug tests boast high resistance to tampering and attempts to cheat the test by short-term abstinence. This is because substances become embedded in the hair after ingestion for up to 90 days.