EXPRESS HAIR FOLLICLE DRUG TEST

Detection Period – 5-90 days

Hair Follicle Drug Test is an alternative to urine drug tests. The two primary advantages to a hair follicle drug test are that it goes back 90 days in history and it is virtually tamper proof. The "cleansing" shampoos widely sold on the Internet do not work. They clean the outside of the hair and do not affect the inside of the hair where a trace amount of the illicit drug is stored. If you need to find out what is going on in someone's life, a Hair Follicle Drug Test may be exactly what you need.

The HairConfirm Express Hair Drug Test from Confirm Biosciences is very easy to use – and very fast! Collect a small hair sample at home following the directions in the FDA approved test kit, send the sample to the CLIA accredited Confirm laboratory, then use your Specimen ID number and pass code to receive your comprehensive results online – in approximately 2 business days after your sample arrives at the laboratory via the FedEx Express envelope supplied in your kit.

WHY DOES A HAIR FOLLICLE DRUG TEST WORK SO WELL?

The presence of drugs in hair is based on a simple principle. Drugs which are ingested circulate in a person's bloodstream which nourishes developing hair follicles. As a person's hair grows, the new hair growth will have a trace amount of the drugs.

Trace amounts of drug metabolites become entrapped in the core of the hair as it grows out from the body at a rate of approximately one-half inch per month. These drug residues cannot be washed, bleached or flushed out and are stable over time. A laboratory analysis of the hair fiber from an individual will produce an accurate drug history for that person. The HairConfirm Express Hair Drug Test from Confirm Biosciences goes back 90 days in history, covering the 1.5 inches of the sample closest to the scalp.

It takes approximately 5 days for drugs to start to show up in a person's hair. The new hair growth for the next 90 days will have a trace amount of the drugs and can be detected through laboratory analysis.

Your results are kept completely confidential and are for your use only. No names are ever used in the testing process. Your Specimen ID number and passcode keep all testing confidential and anonymous. Test results for your hair drug test are available 2 business days after the HairConfirm Laboratory receives the hair sample. Results are obtained by going online to www.hairconfirm.com and logging in to their website with your Specimen ID number, passcode, and email address. The report provided is one of the most comprehensive available to individual consumers and can be printed and reproduced. The report tells you not just whether the hair tested positive or negative for drugs, but it will also tell you, when the hair tests positive for a certain drug, whether that is from occasional, frequent, or near constant use.

Each 1/2 inch of head hair provides a 30-day history of drug use. The standard for the industry is to test 1 1/2 inches, which provides a 90-day history of the donor's drug use. Bleaches, shampoos and second hand smoke (marijuana) have no known impact on test results.

Upon receipt, the HairConfirm Laboratory will perform an initial immunoassay drug test for the 7 drugs listed above. If any of these initial tests turn out positive, they will automatically confirm the results with a second test - a GC/MS laboratory analysis (the gold standard in drug testing).

The Hair Confirm Laboratory needs the minimum equivalent of 90 to 120 strands of hair, at least 1 1/2 inches in length. If the test subject has short hair, then additional strands must be collected to meet the minimum laboratory requirements. Hair can be collected from several different locations on the head and combined to perform the test. (The lab needs a sufficient hair sample to melt to perform the tests.) For very short hair, the minimum time frame that can be evaluated is 30 days. This means a sample of at least half an inch must be collected – hair generally grows a half inch a month. If you cannot collect a sufficient amount of hair from the head, body hair CAN be used (unlike some other tests on the market). But you should never mix body hair with head hair for this test.

Please realize that in order to receive results online you will be required to submit an email address to get results. If you desire complete confidentiality be sure to use a private, non-work related email that does not reflect personal details, such as your first or last name.

If you are interested in reading more information about the hair follicle drug test, please visit this article on our site: Hair Drug Test Information or this article on our site Answering Questions About the Hair Drug Test.

You can also find out about the exclusive features available with HairConfirm products by reading our article Hair Drug Tests - The Only Tests That Can Tell You How Often Drugs Are Used.

(If you would like more information on marijuana drug testing in particular, please check out our page solely dedicated to Marijuana Drug Test information!)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – HAIR CONFIRM EXPRESS HAIR DRUG TEST

Differences Between Body and Head Hair

Differences Between The HairConfirm Express and Standard

Q: How easy to do is this test?

A: This test is very easy to do. There are only a few things to remember. First, you must cut the hair as close to the scalp as possible. This guarantees that the lab will be able to analyze the hair. Drugs in hair will degrade over time. You cannot just cut an inch and a half of hair from the back of the head to perform this test.

Secondly, you must keep the hair organized. As you will see in the instructions for this hair drug test, there is a place on the Collection Foil you ship the hair in that is marked "PLACE ROOT END HERE." The root ends must stay together so that the lab can determine how recently a particular drug has been used. If the hair is jumbled up it will be difficult for the lab to detect when and if drugs were used.

Finally, you must collect enough hair. 90 to 120 strands are generally needed. More hair will be needed if the hair is extremely thin or short.

Q: What timeframe is used in this hair follicle drug test?

A: Traces of drug use appear in hair about 5 to 7 days after use. 5 to 7 days gives the hair time to grow out of the scalp, bringing the hair carrying traces of drug molecules to where it can be cut. The earliest time period that can be accurately evaluated by the laboratory is 30 days. Therefore, if drug use was suspected a week ago, you could cut your hair sample as early as 37 days afterward. Results are limited to 90 days from the day the hair sample was taken, regardless of the length of the hair provided.

Q: What drugs does this hair follicle drug test screen for?

A: Marijuana (THC), Amphetamines (AMP), Methamphetamines (mAMP), Opiates (OPI) (which includes Codeine, Morphine & Heroin), Ecstasy (MDMA), Cocaine (COC) and Phencyclidine (PCP).

Q: How is the hair tested?

A: Once at the laboratory, the hair is pulverized into liquid form. Once that happens the lab can analyze the metabolites inside and determine drug use.

Q: Can I submit body hair for this hair drug test?

A: Yes. Body hair and head hair will be analyzed in the same manner by the laboratory. The important thing is to not mix head hair and body hair together when you submit your hair drug test. Be sure to mark on the security label when submitting your hair drug test whether you are submitting head hair or body hair.

Whether body hair or head hair is submitted makes no difference in terms of results. For each half inch of head hair or body hair submitted, a 30 day drug history will be provided. It is important when collecting body hair to collect more hair than you would if collecting hair from the head though. Body hair is thinner than hair from the head, and you need 100 strands of body hair or more when submitting your hair drug test. The lab needs an adequate amount of hair in order to carry out the test.

Q: Why can't I use hair from a hairbrush or shower drain for this hair drug test?

A: It is not advisable that a hair sample is taken from a hairbrush or any other source (e.g. pillow or shower drain) as this sample may be contaminated (with others' hair) and it will not be possible for the laboratory to determine to root ends of the sample. If a sample is not collected properly and prepared as per the instructions it may be rejected by the laboratory. The best way to obtain a hair sample is with your loved one's knowledge and cooperation and by collecting as provided in the instructions.

Q: How does a hair drug test compare with urine drug tests currently on the market?

A: Unlike a hair drug test, a urine drug test can only check to see if drugs were used within the previous 2-3 day period (for most drugs). Hair drug testing can check for drug use within a 90 day period. Urine tests can also be beaten in a variety of ways and are more embarrassing.

Q: Will the results come back positive if my child is not taking drugs, but has been in contact with drug users?

To rule out the possibility of external contamination (like exposure to marijuana smoke), HairConfirm testing where appropriate looks for both parent & metabolite (byproduct) of drug usage. Metabolites are only produced by the body and cannot be an environmental contaminant. When testing marijuana HairConfirm only detects the metabolite of marijuana (THC-COOH).

Q: Why did Marijuana (THC) show up negative?

In some cases, when the donor has used marijuana, a hair drug test, including HairConfirm, may be unable to detect the THC metabolite due to the fact that the metabolite was unable to bind with the hair shaft. This can be caused by the type/quality of the marijuana smoked/ingested, or by what it has been mixed with, e.g. tobacco. As a result, the result for marijuana may be negative. This is only the case with THC and not with the other illicit drugs (COC, Heroin..etc). In most cases with adults it takes smoking 5-6 full joints in order for enough of the drug to "stick" to the hair to show a positive- this is an average number. If the amount consumed by the individual was less than that it might not show up in a drug test.

In the case where a long term THC use is present (like medical marijuana) sometimes the individual’s body can create a masking agent that would hinder the marijuana in a drug test.

Statistics have shown that teenagers who have used marijuana are more likely to use other potentially more dangerous drugs, than those who have never used marijuana. So if you suspect the individual may be using marijuana it is important to remember that you are also testing for those illicit drugs.

Differences Between Body and Head Hair

Body hair and head hair cannot be mixed when you submit your sample. The different types of hair have their own advantages.

Body Hair

Can give you a longer drug history - a sample of 1.5 inches in length body hair can tell you up to 5-6 months of drug history (Please note - 1.5 inches from the root is as much hair as will be examined by the lab, regardless of how long the hair you submit is).

Head Hair

Easier to collect. A sample of hair at least 1.5 inches long will provide a 90 day drug history. No more than that 1.5 inch of hair will be analyzed by the lab though, so if you want to learn about drug activity going back further than 90 days, you may want to submit body hair for your hair drug test.

Differences Between The HairConfirm Express and Standard

The HairConfirm Express and Standard home drug tests are the same except for only two factors - home to lab shipping method (the Express comes with a prepaid Fedex overnight mailer; the Standard comes with a prepaid first-class envelope) and processing time (the Express generally processes hair submissions in 2 business days while the Standard processes hair submissions in 7-10 business days).

With the HairConfirm Standard and Express home drug test kits results are obtained online, also through a secure passcode. Results are given in a report format that can tell you frequency of use information about each drug tested for, with the exception of marijuana (which is reported as either positive or negative).