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Hair Follicle Drug Tests in Jacksonville, Florida

A hair follicle drug test uses a small piece of hair to identify whether specific drugs have been used by the individual being tested. The test measures the molecules of the drugs as well as the metabolites produced through use. After a drug is used, trace amounts of the drug's metabolites are carried to the hair follicles by the bloodstream. Hair follicle tests may be required in Jacksonville, Florida for employment, or as a condition of parole or probation.

  1. Hair Required For Testing

    • Drugs leave particles inside the shaft of the hair. Alcohol is not inserted in the hair shaft, but can leave chemical markers that can reveal alcohol use. In both the instance of drugs and alcohol, the chemical markers left in the hair shaft correspond with the amount of use. Hair grows an average of 1/2-inch every 30 days. Drug testing labs collect between 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches of hair for testing. Every 1/2-inch of hair corresponds to a 30-day period of drug use. The test cannot detect use within seven days prior to testing. If the person being tested does not have enough hair growth from the scalp, the lab may collect hair follicles from other parts of the body.

    Hair Testing Process

    • The laboratory collects a sample of about 50 hairs. The hairs are washed to remove all dirt and external drug deposits. Cleaning the hair first reduces the chances of a false positive result. False positive results can be caused by second-hand smoke. The lab also strips all melanin from the sample and screens by using an enzyme-linked solution. Some testing sites run a second test by using a gas chromatography to confirm the first result and reduce the chances of a false positive.

    Drug Detection

    • The hair drug test can detect use of cocaine, marijuana, opiates, methamphetamines and phencyclidine.

    Cost

    • If an employer requests the test, there may be no cost to the employment candidate. Hair follicle drug tests are more expensive that urine tests and can cost $100 or more for each screening, at the time of this publication.

    Effectiveness

    • When compared to the urinalysis drug tests, hair follicle testing is more effective in detecting drug use. The test is ideal because it can pinpoint the drugs being used. In some cases, a urine test may not always detect cocaine, opiate and methamphetamine use because those drugs are normally out of the bloodstream within a week of use.

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