Will cutting the hair make a difference to the results of an alcohol hair strand test?

You have hair on other parts of your body.

Will cutting the hair make a difference to the results of an alcohol hair strand test?

Probably not. EtG (one of the metablites tested for) seems to cluster around the base of the hair and stay there while FAEEs that are also looked for gravitate to the distal end of the hair. I'm not familiar with any US labs currently offering the test. Where are you being tested and are you sure they are checking for alcohol use?

This may also be a result of the EtG metabolite being washed out of the hair with normal shampooing due to it's soluble nature.

Its for alcohol and it is the trimega gold test being carried out in england.

its for alcohol and it is the trimega gold test being carried out in england.

Now I get it! I assume this must be the test where they claim to classify drinkers by quantity of EtG detected.

Since it is not widely used, if at all, in the US my knowledge is limited to articles in professional and research journals. Not very impressive. But the guy that owns all of the patents on the process is emeritus head of Trimega and I understand it is used extensively in England.

Here is an article relevant to England and the use of EtG: (Look in archives, Issue 49)

Barrister Magazine (http://www.barristermagazine.com/article-listing/current-issue/testing-testing:-hair-alcohol-test-in-the-family-courts.html)

Now I get it! I assume this must be the test where they claim to classify drinkers by quantity of EtG detected.

Since it is not widely used, if at all, in the US my knowledge is limited to articles in professional and research journals. Not very impressive. But the guy that owns all of the patents on the process is emeritus head of Trimega and I understand it is used extensively in England.

Here is an article relevant to England and the use of EtG: (Look in archives, Issue 49)

Barrister Magazine (http://www.barristermagazine.com/article-listing/current-issue/testing-testing:-hair-alcohol-test-in-the-family-courts.html)

Thank you for your help I appreciate it.