Hair vs. Nails Alcohol Testing

Hair alcohol testing

Hair follicle alcohol testing using head hair can be used to test for chronic & excessive alcohol consumption or abstinence for a period of up to 12 months (overview or segmented analysis).

AlphaBiolabs determines alcohol abuse in head hair by detecting two metabolites of alcohol: ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl palmitate (EtPA/FAEE).

These markers of alcohol intake are incorporated into the hair via different routes: EtG via sweat and EtPa via sebum (an oily substance secreted by glands in the scalp). The reasons that both EtG and EtPa markers are analysed is because they are affected by external factors in different ways.

Therefore, performing these two different types of hair analyses can assist in building evidence to support the diagnosis of chronic excessive alcohol consumption with a greater degree of certainty.

If head hair is unavailable, body hair can also be used to test for chronic & excessive alcohol consumption or abstinence for an overview of up to 12 months.

However, due to the way in which EtPa is incorporated into the hair, body hair can only be used to test for EtG, not EtPa.

Window of detection: up to 12-month overview or segmented analysis (head hair) or up to 12-month overview (body hair).

Advantages: useful for determining chronic & excessive alcohol use or abstinence.

Body hair alcohol testing

Head hair is preferred over body hair for alcohol testing because it can detect both EtG and EtPA. However, body hair can be used to test for chronic & excessive alcohol consumption or abstinence if head hair is unavailable, for an overview of up to 12 months.

Window of detection: up to 12-month overview of EtG.

Advantages: useful for measuring EtG if head hair unavailable, for chronic & excessive alcohol consumption or abstinence.

Nail alcohol testing

EtG biomarkers trapped within the keratin fibres along the length of a nail can provide a detection period of up to 12 months.

Approximately 10 mg of nail is required for the test. The nail is collected as close to the nail bed as possible. If the nail is long (5 mm or above) then only one would be required.

If the nails are short then it may be best to take clippings from several nails. Toe nails as well as finger nails can be used, but not a mixture of both. The advantages of using toe nails is that there is less potential for environmental exposure. Acrylic nails, Shellac and other forms of nail varnish would need to be removed as this may damage the surface of the nail and impact on the results.

Window of detection: up to a 6-month overview (fingernail clippings) or up to a 12-month overview (toenail clippings).

Advantages: simple-to-collect sample to measure levels of EtG. Ideal for those cases where hair testing is not possible (such as the donor has no or little hair, for religious reasons, and for those concerned with their appearance).