Hair Drug Testing
How long does my hair need to be?
The length of hair required for a 3-month detection period is 3.9 cm. Head hair grows at approximately 1.3cm per month. If your hair is shorter than 3.9cm, we can still take the sample however the detection time will be shorter.
How much hair do you need to take?
For our Standard 5 panel Hair Drug test, 50mg of hair is required. This is approximately the width of the lead of a pencil when bunched together.
For an alcohol test, we require 75mg of hair.
Do the 3-month results start the day I have my hair cut?
No. We cut as close to the scalp as we can however there is still hair grown beneath the surface of the scalp. The detection period will start approximately 7-10 days prior to the collection date.
Can I choose the dates that the hair test will cover?
No. Unfortunately, we cannot choose the timeframe that the results will show. We cut the hair as close to the scalp as possible and this is when the detection period will begin.
Can you take body hair and if so, is it reliable?
Yes, we can accept body hair as a sample. However, we cannot accept hair from the pubic region. Body hair samples are just as reliable as head hair. The only difference is the growth rate. Body hair grows at a slower rate than head hair.
This means that 3.9cm of head hair is approximately a 3 month detection period, but a 3.9cm body hair sample will be an approximate 5 month detection period.
What drugs are included on a standard 5 Panel Hair drug test?
The following drugs are included on our standard 5 panel Hair drug test:
Cocaine (Cocaine,Benzoylecgonine, Cocaethylene, Norcocaine)
Opioids (Codeine, Morphine, 6-MAM (Heroin), Oxycodone (OxyContin), Oxymorphone, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone)
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Amphetamines (Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), MDA, MDEA (Eve))
Marijuana (Carboxy THC)
Do you pull the hair out?
No, the hair is not pulled out. Small sections of hair are cut close to the scalp.
I have dreadlocks, can you just chop one off?
No, we cannot take a dreadlock as a lot of the time, it is mixed with artificial hair. We must take the sample around each dreadlock if possible.
I have braids, can you just chop one off?
No, with braids we will require a couple of them to be undone. We need more than one undone as we cannot take one big snip from one area of the head. We try to be as cosmetically undetectable as possible.
Does bleaching or hair dye affect the results?
No, cosmetic bleaching and dyeing does not affect the integrity of the results. Once the sample is at the laboratory, it undergoes a rigorous wash process for 3 hours and 45 minutes that cleans any external contaminants from the hair including hair dye.
The only reason bleaching would affect the sample is if the hair was bleached to the point of extreme damage. If the hair is damaged, the lab would not be able to test the sample and we would receive a report stating that the sample is unable to be tested due to damage.
I need to get a hair test done but I want to see a more in-depth timeline of usage. How can I do this?
We offer sectional tests. This means that instead of getting one report which shows usage over the past 3 months, we can break this down into 1-month sections. You will get 3 reports and each report will show an approximate 1 month detection period. This is the best way to see a decline or increase in usage.
Do I need to have a referral from a doctor to have a hair test?
No, you do not. You can have a hair test without a doctor’s referral.
Do I need to have court orders to have a hair test?
No, you do not. You can have a hair test without court orders.
What if I don’t have a current photo ID?
If you do not have valid photo Identification you must get a statutory declaration alongside a current photo of yourself witnessed by a Justice of the Peace (JP).
I am on prescribed medication; do I need to declare these when I come in for my test?
No. We do not require any prescriptions from you. If something does show up on the results, you should give your prescriptions to your lawyer. If you require something that states that the positive reading is due to the medication you are taking, we can have a toxicology report prepared for you at an extra cost.
Results
What is the turnaround time for results?
Results take approximately 10 – 14 business days from the date of collection as long as payment has been made. This does not include weekends or public holidays.
It has been longer than 14 business days and I still have not received my results. Why is this?
If your test is being funded by a third party (The Independent Children’s Lawyer is paying), we do not release results until full payment has been made. If you have paid for your test yourself and it has been longer than 14 working days (excluding weekends and public holidays), please get in contact with our office and we can chase this up.
I am worried about other people having access to my results. How do I know only I will receive it?
If you are paying for the test yourself, the results will be directly sent to you and you only unless we have written confirmation of another party you want us to send it to.
If a third party is paying for the test, they are the Requesting Authority and they are permitted to have a copy of the results.
Can anyone call and request information about my test and/or results?
No. We do not give out any information over the phone or via email unless we have written consent from the donor.
Can you verify a copy of the results I have received from another party?
Yes. If the results are issued from Psychemedics, we offer a free service where if you email us the results and request that we verify them, we can respond by stating whether it is an accurate result or if it is not.
We cannot provide any further information as we are strictly bound by the Privacy Act.
I need someone to explain my results.
Brassets Group staff can help as best we can to answer simple questions, however, we are not toxicologists. If you do require further information, you can send an email with your results, prescriptions (if you have any), and any questions you have, and we can have a quote prepared for you from our in-house toxicologist.
How long does a toxicology report take to come back?
Depending on what is required for the toxicology report and how busy the toxicologist is, the report should take 3-5 business days to come back.
How much is a toxicology report?
Toxicology reports vary in price depending on how many drug classes are positive and what research is required. Prices start from $250+GST and can go up to $1500+GST.
I have received my results for a sectional hair test (e.g. 6 months), how do I tell which is the most recent section?
Your report will list the length of hair tested at the top of the page. The sample length beginning with zero is the most recent section. For example, a 6 month hair drug test will come back as two reports. The most recent section will show sample length 0 – 3.9cm, the second report will show 3.9 – 7.8cm.
Payment
I can’t afford to pay for the hair test, but I require it for court. Is there some sort of payment plan I can go on?
Yes, Brassets Group has Payment Plan options. This is fully customisable to you. Please note that if you do go on a payment plan, we will not send the sample to the laboratory until half payment has been made, and we do not release results until full payment has been made.
The Independent Children’s Lawyer has funding for my test, do I need to pay anything on the day?
No, you do not. If the Independent Children’s Lawyer has funding for your test, all we require is an email from them stating what test is required for you and that they have funding. We will send them an invoice after you have attended your appointment and you will not need to pay for anything on the day.
When do you take payment?
We take payment on the day of your appointment. We understand everyone is busy and may not be able to attend their scheduled appointment, so we only take payment when you are at the collection centre.
My ex is supposed to pay. How does this work?
If an ex-partner is supposed to pay, when you come in for your test we require their name and a way to contact them. We will usually contact them on the day of your appointment to take payment.
If the paying party refuses to pay, we will hold the sample and it will not be sent to the laboratory until payment has been made.
If the paying party does pay, the sample is sent to the laboratory on the day (or as soon as possible) that payment has been made.