9 Panel Hair Follicle Test for Pain Mangement
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Dear AMH,
I need to take a 9 panel hair follicle test in order to return to pain management. I am in an immense amount of pain everyday because of the multiple back surgeries I’ve had since my car accident. A couple of weeks ago I received a positive for methadone during my normal check up at pain management. I’m not prescribed methadone and my doctor didn’t even consider any lab errors. I will be kicked out of my pain management program if I don’t prove this test wrong. Leaving pain management is not an option for me. Will a 9 panel hair follicle test help dispute this false positive? How do drugs get into the hair follicle?
Louis T, Atlanta GA
Hi Louis,
A 9 Panel hair follicle test is a great way to begin disputing this claim. Unfortunately, we get this scenario quite often and we understand how important it is that you return to treatment. 
The main factors that affect binding of drugs to your hair follicle are melanin affinity, lipophilicity and basicity of drugs. Melanin affinity refers to the hair’s relationship to pigmentation (color), and lipophilicity is the ability for chemical compounds to dissolve. Hair tests are often requested in court cases because they are much harder to manipulate, their longer detection time, and their accuracy. Methadone is one of several prescription drugs included on our 9 panel hair follicle test. Please give our office a call at your earliest convenience so that we can do our best to help you return to pain management.