Hair Follicle Drug Test Detection Window

There are many ways to test someone for drug use, and each way carries a different detection time frame. The most common method of testing is through urine, but unfortunately urine carries a very short time frame - a couple weeks at most. Blood testing is generally used to see if someone is under the influence at the time the test is taken. The window period is extremely limited. For individuals seeking to cover an extended amount of time, the hair follicle test is probably their best option.

Hair follicle testing works by testing for metabolites of parent drugs that are most often implanted within the follicle via the bloodstream. Traces of drugs slowly leave the hair through normal daily activity and hygiene, but most will remain detectable for around three months. The average person grows hair at a rate of .5 inches per month. When the lab receives a hair specimen for testing, it is cut to a length of 1.5 inches, which creates roughly 3 months worth of growth and detection.

If someone does not have any or enough hair on their scalp for a proper collection, collectors will often resort to body hair (underarm, chest, arm or leg hair). Some people have made the connection that because body hair grows at a different rate than head hair, the detection window with body hair is extended to as long as 12 months.

Another important detail with hair follicle drug testing is that recent consumption tends to not show up in the results. The reason for this is that the metabolites that the test checks for take one to two weeks to actually become embedded within the follicle. For someone concerned about recent consumption only, they might consider a urine drug screen which is far more reliable for such situations. In addition to recent consumption, light usage of any substance may very well not show up in a hair follicle screen. There are certain cutoff levels in place to determine a positive result, and light usage may not quite meet the cutoff level for detection.

There are certainly a types of options available for drug testing, and one option may look better than all the others. Hair follicle drug testing is a great way to detect drug use over an extended period of time, but it may not be the best option in every single case. It is important to discuss your concerns thoroughly with whomever you arrange testing so that they can help make sure you are getting the test you want.