Can a Hair Follicle Test Go Back 12 Months?
Question: Can a hair follicle test go back 12 months?
Hello and hoping you can help me,
My name is Ann. I am a mother going through a divorce. I suspect my ex husband has been using opiates for about 6 months to maybe a year. I am not comfortable dropping off my children on the weekends until we can get a drug testing plan set up. I heard that there is a hair drug screen that will go back up to 12 months, but I cannot seem to find a drug test place that offers this. Can a hair follicle test go back 12 months
Please can you help?
Ann, Naperville, Il
Answering the Question, “Can a hair follicle test go back 12 months?”
Dear Ann,
To your question, “can a hair follicle test go back 12 months” the answer is yes. However, he will have to have long enough head hair to officially go back that far. This must be performed on a head hair sample. We call this a segmented hair drug test and, in this case, we would test in increments of 90 days. Every increment will need about 1.5 (1 and one half) inches of head hair length. To order a hair follicle test that goes back 12 months we will need about 6 inches in head hair length.
In the case that he does not have long enough hair for a 12 month hair test we may be able to provide a 6 month or 9 month hair drug test. We need 3 inches for a 6 month hair test. We need 4.5 (4 and a half) inches for a 9 month hair test. If he does not have that head hair length or maybe he does not have any head hair we might consider performing the hair test on body hair. A hair test performed on body hair may not officially look back one year, but it very likely will look back well beyond the standard 90 days. Another option would be fingernail or toenail drug testing. The provider of our nail drug testing states a fingernail drug test will have a look back of ABOUT 3 to 6 months. Whereas a toenail drug test can have a look back of possibly up to 12 months.
While a hair drug test on body hair or a nail drug test on fingernails or toenails may not be exactly what you need, it is a good option if he does not have the head hair length for the 12 month hair drug test.
The 12 month hair test and other segmented hair drug tests as well as nail drug testing are offered through our specialty labs which means it is not available at every one of our locations. When you are ready to register for your drug test simply call customer service. Wishing you the best on your case!
