Hair test for ETG (alcohol metabolite)

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Hair tests are being used more commonly (along with Peth).  Does anyone have any real world data on how much alcohol it takes to test positive for etg?  There's a wide range of studies saying moderate to heavy alcohol over several weeks is needed.   What about heavy binges and how many?

ETG is a water soluble, polar molecule, so it's eventually washed out from hair.  I don't think the "up to 3 months" is valid many times.   People have been using no lye hair relaxer in their hair to let the hair cuticle open and let etg leak out and/or chemically degrade etg.  There's studies on chemical straightening reducing all drug metabolites.  
Any user data?

I'm so glad we have some experts in the field of "everything" in this group!! 😊

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I had a Hair test 12 panel with alcohol ETG last week and got the results back today - NEGATIVE.  I had several large alcohol binges in the last several weeks, so was afraid the ETG level might have ticked above the cutoff.  

I used No Lye Hair Relaxer on my hair and seems like it worked.  Or maybe my hair was already negative for Alcohol ETG anyway even with the several large binges?  I don't know but I wasn't willing to risk it since there's so much on the line so I used the hair relaxer.

I followed the instructions on the box for the Olive No Lye hair relaxer off Amazon.  It breaks the strong disulfide bonds in the hair so your hair becomes more porous, so easier to wash all the metabolites in the hair.  It also degrades ETG and other metabolites chemically as well.

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liamsmeme said:

I'm so glad we have some experts in the field of "everything" in this group!! 😊

"EVERYTHING" that's hyperbole, also known as fallacy. At no time on this Board from my reading has a poster claimed to be an "expert" at everything. For posters in recovery monitoring programs whose lives have been heavily dominated (unfairly) by testing, drug policies, discussions with case managers and Medical Lab Review Officers, recovery meetings, etc......People get pretty darn knowledgeable about cutoff levels and drug testing and policies, etc. The words "everything, and "experts" are your words. 

Lia., aren't you the person that keeps asking what the different drug codes stand for? Perhaps, you need to find an "expert at everything"<------whatever the heck that is, to give you an answer.

 

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🤣🤣🤣

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I was simply referring to a person or persons  who comments or has something to say about every single comment or post as if everyone else is wrong or not right. Wasn't saying anyone literally knew everything. So, before you start running your chops about something be sure to read the comment fully and know what it says before you speak

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liamsmeme said:

I was simply referring to a person or persons  who comments or has something to say about every single comment or post as if everyone else is wrong or not right. Wasn't saying anyone literally knew everything. So, before you start running your chops about something be sure to read the comment fully and know what it says before you speak

You wrote "experts". That's plural, not one person. You wrote "everything." Now you are saying you were talking about 1 person. That's different than what you wrote, so I suggest, you actually read carefully what you wrote, and if it's different than what you meant, then why not simply say that.

Why did I respond to you? We have people that need help here, including me. We can't have  silencing of info, especially when info is accurate. It's a bad take when a nurse starts calling out another nurse over information that is helpful. The info in this thread helped me. I even looked up some of the stuff said like Alcohol in hair tests (that I didn't know) and cutoff levels (that I didn't know) and Peth length of time detection (that I didn't know) and all of the info was accurate and helped me. So, if there are people on here that are "experts at everything,"<<<<----your words, then fine and dandy with me if the info is correct. I need all the help I can get and will gladly take it.

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Specializes in Hospice.
PassportCruiser said:

I had a Hair test 12 panel with alcohol ETG last week and got the results back today - NEGATIVE.  I had several large alcohol binges in the last several weeks, so was afraid the ETG level might have ticked above the cutoff.  

I used No Lye Hair Relaxer on my hair and seems like it worked.  Or maybe my hair was already negative for Alcohol ETG anyway even with the several large binges?  I don't know but I wasn't willing to risk it since there's so much on the line so I used the hair relaxer.

I followed the instructions on the box for the Olive No Lye hair relaxer off Amazon.  It breaks the strong disulfide bonds in the hair so your hair becomes more porous, so easier to wash all the metabolites in the hair.  It also degrades ETG and other metabolites chemically as well.

When did you apply the relaxer to your hair in relation to the time of the test?

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rockinpoodle13 said:

When did you apply the relaxer to your hair in relation to the time of the test?

I applied it 4 days before the day of the test.  As long as you do it at least 2 days before the test, it will give normal shampooing a chance to get out every last bit of metabolite.  Most of metabolites will leak out AND chemically degrade when you actually do the relaxer process and neutralizing shampoo afterwards.  But doing it a few days before the test gives it even more time to leak out.

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