How Far Back Can a Hair Test Detect Drugs

Hair Drug Testing 101

By Haley Bass | 04/27/2018

Hair drug testing or "pilus follicle testing" is a very accurate and efficient style of screening for drug use. Whether you're trying to screen potential candidates for a new chore or y'all're maintaining compliance with certain regulations, drug testing is frequently used in the workplace to keep employees safety and healthy. While most employers are familiar with using urine samples for drug tests, an increasingly pop testing method is hair drug testing.

Here are our answers to some of the mutual hair drug testing questions we've received.

How does a hair drug test work?

A hair drug examination uses a hair sample, typically from the hair's root, to screen for drug utilize. When someone uses drugs, the substance is absorbed into the bloodstream. Considering each pilus follicle has a blood vessel to feed the hair growth cells, the drugs are carried from the blood into the hair follicle. Traces of drugs tin then be detected in the hair follicle.

What does a hair drug test exam for?

Hair drug tests typically test for cocaine, marijuana, opiates, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and PCP.

What is required for a hair drug test sample?

A single hair isn't going to be enough for a hair drug test, and you can't use hair collected from a brush or another source - it must be taken directly from the person'south head. For the analysis to effectively determine drug use, a sample of hair needs to be 1.5 inches long, and take the thickness of a pencil.

Why would an employer cull hair drug testing over other sample options?

While there are several sample options for drug tests, an employer might prefer pilus drug testing because:

• At that place's a long detection period - commonly upward to 90 days
• It's a relatively noninvasive collection process
• If an employee briefly abstains from drugs, it typically won't bear upon the results
• It'southward very difficult to cheat a pilus drug test, making results more accurate
• At that place'due south also greater effect accurateness because a lab can retest the aforementioned sample multiple times

What are the downsides of a hair follicle test?

Although there are a lot of positives to pilus drug testing, it isn't most as popular as urine drug testing. There could exist several reasons for this, including:

• Hair drug tests are more than expensive than other test methods
• While hair samples can detect long-term drug apply, they can't find recent use
• There's a longer processing time required to go results

What if the person being tested has no hair?

When someone has short hair, the sample can still be collected, it simply has to encompass a larger portion of the caput. If a person is bald or has a shaved head, a body hair sample can be collected. If the person being tested has no hair on their body, a hair drug test cannot be administered.

Are there ways to crook a pilus follicle test?

A pilus drug test is nearly incommunicable to cheat. Even if someone uses certain shampoos or products that claim to cleanse hair follicles, they're unlikely to remove the drug metabolites. Because the sample is often collected in person, it would be very difficult to endeavor a sample substitution.

How far dorsum can a hair drug exam detect drug use?

Hair drug tests have the longest detection period, and can typically detect drug use for up to ninety days. Depending on the drugs used, a hair sample can sometimes assist determine when drug use occurred and whether it's been discontinued.

Concentra offers a variety of drug testing solutions, including hair drug testing, to assistance keep your workforce safety and healthy. To acquire more about our drug testing program, talk to one of our work health experts.

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Source: https://www.concentra.com/resource-center/articles/hair-drug-testing-101/#:~:text=How%20far%20back%20can%20a,and%20whether%20it's%20been%20discontinued.

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