I have had 2 hair strands done for alcohol, one negative 1 positive result is that I drink excessively, which I do not, I gave bitrth 8 months ago and have lost 3 stone in weight, which I didn't tell them, could this affect the result. Thank you

There is no current research implicating weight loss in alcohol hair test results. These tests generally look for two separate metabolites, EtG and FAEEs. Would need to know the readings of each to offer a possible explanation.

Despite the information provided for public consumption, alcohol hair testing is a relatively new procedure (2 yrs in US), has many known problems and lacks a wide base of research.

One of the problems with this test is external contamination and a lack of understanding as to how alcohol gets into hair in the first place.

Thank you, I received a positive and negative result , which is confusing in itself. My faee's readings were 1.36mg ,the negative on, EtG is 24mg. And the results indicated I was a chronic excessive drinker, could you help me at all on this, I would be very grateful, for any explanation for this, as it doesn't make sense when I don't drink excessively frequently.

Double check the quantification. i.e. was the FAEE reading in mg/ ng/ ug/ or pg/.

Was the positive result first or second in order. How much time intervened between the tests and who performed them. Particularly did the testing lab obtain the sample or did a second party obtain sample and then forward to lab.

The general recommendation with Alcohol Hair Testing is that the test not be used as the sole means of alcohol consumption. Usually, when the result is positive, you would be afforded an opportunity for a second type of test, perhaps blood test. Did that occur.

I don't understand the following:
"my faee's readings were 1.36mg ,the negative on, etg is 24mg. and the results indicated i was a chronic excessive drinker". Please clarify this with the exact way it is, or was, written on the report provided.

Later note: Or are you saying that these results were from the same test? The FAEE showing positive while the EtG was under the cutoff?

It was done by trimega labs both tests ,the quantitive results are 1.36ng/mg total faa's.which was positive for the first test. The second for EtG is 24 pg/mg which is negative. No I have not been offered a blood sample or any second test.thankyou

It was done by trimega labs both tests, quantitive results for total faa's are 1.36ng/mg ,which was positive, this was the first test, the second 24 pg/mg etc, which was negative,I haven't been offered any other test.. iwould be any grateful of any advice thanks

In the UK the standard for chronic excessive alcohol consumption is established at 60 g per day of pure ethanol (see (2)). Use of that standard is recommended by the Society of Hair Testing (SOHT, Jun 2009) (http://www.soht.org/pdf/Consensus_EtG_2009.pdf).

The cutoff for FAEE in hair to "strongly suggest chronic excessive alcohol consumption" is proposed at 0.5 ng/mg (scalp hair). Using this standard, your result (1.36) would support the classification.

The sequence of events you describe is puzzling. Using the same set of recommendations (see above), the SOHT provides that EtG can be used to guard against false positives in FAEE testing, or vice versa. The cutoff for EtG is 30 pg/mg. Clearly, by their own standards, these results are conflicting. Furthermore, it is a questionable practice to report quantitative findings in relation to a negative test. So the second test failed to confirm the findings of the first test. Procedurally this should have negated the findings of the first test and been returned as negative. I can't imagine how a representative of Trimega could defend or explain this obvious conflict or the underlying reasoning for the process.

Based on your description, the results seem indefensible from a scientific or legal perspective.

Hair Alcohol Testing has many critics although it enjoys greater acceptance and credibility in the UK than US. The criticisms are many and scientific in nature. In your case the error seems to be procedural. Arguments for or against the scientific validity of one part of the test to the exclusion of the second test isn't possible without destroying the value of the complete test.

Thank you very much,this has been very helpful, they did write in the result that the EtG findings, being under the cut off point could be me abstaining from alcohol fr a period of weeks. I shall be on to my solicitor tomorrow, thank you for your help