Can Hair Be Used for DNA Testing?
Hair may sometimes be suitable for DNA analysis, depending on the material available and the methodology used by the analysing laboratory partner. Not every hair sample is suitable, so hair is treated as a special (non-standard) sample and is reviewed before submission.
Sample type: Laboratory assessment required · Typical suitability: Case dependent
What affects a hair sample
Whether DNA can be recovered from hair generally depends on the amount of cellular material present, whether follicular material is attached, the number of strands available, and how the hair was handled and stored. Shed hair without attached tissue often contains far less usable material than freshly pulled hair.
Age, heat, moisture, chemical treatment and handling by other people can all reduce the amount of DNA that a laboratory partner is able to recover. For this reason, no outcome can be promised in advance.
Does hair need the root attached?
Root or follicular material improves the likelihood of usable DNA recovery, because more cellular material is typically present. Some laboratory methods can work with other portions of the strand, but availability varies by case and is confirmed during assessment.
Before you send a hair sample
Please do not mail a hair sample until we have reviewed the details and confirmed acceptance and packaging instructions. Submitting information for review does not mean the sample is suitable, and testing also depends on consent, the purpose of the test and applicable legal requirements.
What helps a sample
- Several strands are usually preferable to a single strand.
- Attached root or follicular material improves the likelihood of DNA recovery.
- Store the sample dry, in paper rather than plastic, and handle it as little as possible.
- Hair is generally not accepted for legal or official testing, which normally requires witnessed collection.
FAQ
Questions about hair samples
No sample can be guaranteed to produce a usable DNA profile. Laboratory analysis is performed by qualified, accredited laboratory partners, and acceptance of any report by a third party is not guaranteed.