Hair follicle testing
A 90-day window, collected in minutes.
Hair follicle and segmented hair follicle drug testing at your office, site or home, with the sample sealed and shipped by a trained collector.
- Look-back
- Roughly the last 90 days of history
- Used for
- Non-DOT programs only
Overview
What hair follicle testing shows
A small sample cut close to the scalp, about the width of a pencil, gives the laboratory roughly the last 90 days of history.
It shows patterns of use rather than a single moment, which makes it the choice when a longer look-back matters more than detecting use in the last few days.
Hair follicle testing is for non-DOT programs only and does not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement. DOT drug testing under 49 CFR Part 40 uses authorized urine or oral-fluid specimens, documented on the Federal Custody and Control Form and tested through an HHS-certified laboratory. About DOT testing
Who uses it
- Pre-employment screening
- Custody and family matters
- Courts and treatment programs, often with segmented testing
- Any situation where a longer look-back matters
Two kinds of hair test
Standard and segmented testing
Standard hair follicle testing
One answer covering roughly the last 90 days. It shows patterns of use rather than a single moment.
Segmented hair follicle testing
Segmented analysis divides the hair sample into sections, each representing about a month of growth, and reports each segment separately. Instead of one 90-day answer, you see how use changed month by month.
That timeline is what courts, treatment programs and families often need to show abstinence, relapse or a pattern over time.
Process
How a hair collection works
Call or schedule
Tell dispatch who needs testing, where, and who should receive the results.
Collector arrives
A trained collector comes to your office, site or home.
Sample collected
Hair is taken from the crown in small amounts from several spots.
Sealed and documented
The collector documents the sample, seals it in front of the donor and completes the chain of custody form.
Laboratory and results
Samples go to a certified laboratory and results are reported to the party you designate when the test is ordered.
At the collection
What to expect at the collection
On the day
- About 15 minutes. The collection itself is quick.
- Nothing visible: there is no bald patch and no obvious sign a sample was collected.
- Results reported by a certified laboratory to the party you designate.
Hair length
- If head hair is too short, body hair can be collected instead. Our collector will explain what the lab can and cannot report from the sample.
- Segmented testing requires enough hair length for the segments requested. Our collector will confirm what is possible before cutting.
Also available
Related services
Non-DOT drug and alcohol testing
Workplace, court-ordered and personal testing that follows the employer’s or requesting party’s applicable testing program.
DOT drug and alcohol testing
Federally regulated collections for safety-sensitive employees. Hair follicle testing does not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement.
Instant and rapid drug testing
Screening results on site in minutes, with lab confirmation for any non-negative.
How far back does hair follicle testing look?
Hair follicle testing covers roughly 90 days, and segmented hair testing breaks that window into month-by-month results. Urine drug tests, by comparison, generally cover the last few days.
What is segmented hair testing?
Segmented analysis divides the hair sample into sections, each representing about a month of growth, and reports each segment separately, so you see how use changed month by month.
Can body hair be used?
If head hair is too short, body hair can be collected instead. Our collector will explain what the lab can and cannot report from the sample.
Does a hair follicle test satisfy a DOT requirement?
No. Hair follicle testing is for non-DOT programs only and does not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement. A DOT test is required by federal regulation for safety-sensitive employees under agencies such as FMCSA, FTA and FAA. DOT drug testing under 49 CFR Part 40 uses authorized urine or oral-fluid specimens, documented on the Federal Custody and Control Form and tested through an HHS-certified laboratory.
Will a hair collection be noticeable?
No. Hair is taken from the crown in small amounts from several spots, so there is no bald patch and no obvious sign a sample was collected.
How long does the collection take?
The collection itself is quick, about 15 minutes. The collector documents the sample, seals it in front of the donor and completes the chain of custody form.
24/7 phone and dispatch
Book a hair follicle collection
We come to you. We dispatch mobile collectors as quickly as possible, including nights, weekends and holidays.
1-800-539-4934