Hair Drug Test Information Basics?

This article will attempt to educate you on the basics of the hair drug test to the point you can understand the basic ins and outs of the hair drug test.

In everyday life you take in food, air and many contaminates from the environment.  Your body naturally metabolizes (converts) these products into various by products (metabolites) your body uses and then stores the excess mostly in your fat cells and to a lesser extent in the other fast growing cells in your body such as your hair. 

Since hair growth is fed by the bloodstream, the use of drugs is revealed by analyzing drug contaminates (metabolites) fused inside the hair shaft.  Once fused in side the hair shaft, the metabolites are detectable for a very long period of time that can be measured in years.

The hair drug test can also use any hair from your body.  You can not just shave your head.  Some of the hair on your body grown faster or slower than other hair.  Historical use of drug is most often restricted to the hair from your head.

Why Hair Drug Testing?

Hair drug testing can not only show general drug usage, but potentially when the drug was used and the quantity of the drug used.  This drug detection period can also stretch to potentially many months or even years.  A Hair Drug Test is also accurate at showing many prescription drugs, drugs of abuse or over-the-counter products used within a window of time.

The time of detection is generally limited to the length of your hair at the time of the test and the part of the hair follicle your sample is taken from for the hair drug test.  A hair sample taken from the end of very long strands of hair could show positive for many months if not years into the future.  Luckily, a standard hair test purposely covers a period of approximately 90 days by a sample taken close to your scalp. 

How Does Contamination Take Place?

Prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and/or controlled substances are ingested in various ways.  Your body "metabolizes" this material and trace amounts of these "metabolites", through your blood, become entrapped in your hair strands in amounts roughly proportional to the amount of the substance ingested.  These metabolites remain in the strands and these metabolites cannot be removed without destroying the hair strands. 

All hair shafts are made up of three layers. The inner layer is the medulla, the next layer is the cortex and the outer layer is the cuticle. The cortex makes up the majority of the shaft and is formed by scales in an overlapping structure similar to roof shingles.  Metabolites are deposited within the cortex layer as it feeds off the contaminated blood and grows. 

How The Hair Follicle Drug Test Works.

A hair follicle drug test sample can be obtained from any part of the body.  The hair sample is removed and cut it into very small pieces.  This hair sample is then soaked in a solvent that causes some of the metabolites to go into suspension in the solvent.  The solution is then placed in a centrifuge and separated.  Finally the hair sample is analyzed in a process similar to a urine drug test.  The results are read and a conclusion made. 

Pass A Hair Drug Test With Ultra Clean Shampoo From Zydot.

Hair testing results cannot be significantly altered with cleansing shampoos or other external chemicals without destruction of the hair shaft itself as these metabolites have become, in effect, part of the hair shaft.  This makes passing a hair drug test very tricky and the requirement for a very specific product to pass a hair drug test with confidence.

How Effective Are Hair Drug Tests In Detecting Drug Use?

In side-by-side comparison studies with urine drug tests, hair drug tests have uncovered significantly more drug use.  In two independent studies hair drug tests uncovered as much as 8 times as many drug users as urine drug tests.

Unlike the urine drug test, many times hair drug tests can determine the quantity of drugs consumed and even the historic pattern of use.  Use can also be determined for many months or even years in the future under ideal circumstances.

What Drugs Can Be Tested For In Hair Drug Testing?

In Hair Drug Testing Today - Current hair drug testing looks for Cocaine, Marijuana, Opiates (Heroin, Codeine, & Morphine), Methamphetamines, (Methamphetamines, Amphetamine & Ecstasy), and Phencyclidine (PCP).  These are the five major drug classes that are mandated for testing by the Federal Government.

What Is Coming In The Near Future - Currently, Nicotine, Methadone, Benzodiazepines, Tricyclic Antidepressants and Mescaline detection are under development (Late 2010).

What Is The Shortest Time Period For Drug Detection?

The minimum time is approximately two weeks which is the time it takes for your head hair to grow out about 1/4 inch.

How Fast Does Hair Grow?

Head Hair - Studies indicate that head hair grows on the average approximately 1/2 inch per month. 

Body Hair - Body hair growth rates are generally slower.  Any body hair can be used if head hair is too short for a test.  However, drug usage amount and timeframe are lost if body hair is used as its growth rate is much slower than head hair.

What Time Period Does A Hair Drug Test Cover?

A standard hair test purposely covers a period of approximately 90 days.  The testing laboratory puprosly cuts a 1 1/2 inch hair sample as close to the scalp as possible providing that 90 day window into drug usage.  A standard hair test requires 60+ milligrams of hair or approximately 90 to 120 strands. 

This graph shows how long a period of time a hair drug test could potentially detect drug usage for a given length of hair.

The hair sample can be taken from any part of the hair shaft.  This means a hair sample taken from the end of very long strands of hair could show positive for many months if not years into the future.

Can Hair Drug Tests Be Administered On Bald People Or People With Little Or No Hair?

The hair sample can be taken from any location on your body.  Hair can be collected from several head locations and combined to obtain the required amount of hair.  In the rare case where no hair is collectable, complete urine drug testing may be utilized.

 Does Body Hair Give The Same Results As Head Hair?

Yes, body hair can be used to test for the five standard drug classes, though body hair growth patterns are different than head hair.  Most body hair is replaced within approximately one year.  This means a test done with body hair will most likely be reported as drug usage during approximately a one year timeframe.

Can Hair Color Or Hair Treatment Affect The Results?

Hair color and treatments have been shown through actual hair tests, as well as determined in court to have NO alteration to the outcome of the hair drug test.

Can Hair Collected From A Brush Be Used?

Yes, but the test will usually be reported by the testing agency as having an "anonymous" donor as the sample is very difficult to attribute to any specific person.

That being said, it is very important that you clean and wash your combs and brushes BEFORE you use Ultra Clean Shampoo and go take a hair drug test.  Better yet, get a new brush to use AFTER you use Ultra Clean Shampoo and BEFORE your test.  Any hair that might migrate onto your head could potentially be taken as a sample.  No need to take a chance.

Can A Hair Drug Test Be Affected By Substances Like Over-The-Counter Or Prescription Medications?

There are more than 250 over-the counter and prescription products used today that can cause a false positive drug test.

The hair drug test is similar to the urine drug test as they both look for concentrations of the same metabolites in hair or urine.  Therefore, the potential for substances such as over-the-counter or prescription medications to cause a false positive drug test does exist in both tests.  Remember, the hair drug test is more

The most common example of a false positive drug test is the pseudoephedrine in many over-the-counter sinus and cold medications that will cause a positive result for methamphetamines.  Another example is the poppy seeds in a bagel.  They contain enough opium to cause a positive drug test for opium. This was proven on a recent TV show of "Myth Busters".

Can Second Hand  Exposure To Drugs Affect Hair Drug Test Results?

Absolutely - Well Maybe - It Really Depends.  In most cases the cut off levels for passing a hair drug test are set high enough not to cause a failure for second hand use.  It all depends on how long the exposure and what concentration in the environment at the time of exposure.  Best Advice.  Don't risk it.