The most important question to ask (if you dare to ask it) when told that you have to take a drug test, is “What type of test is it?”
That’s because THC and its indicators build up in different concentrations in different areas of the body. Blood and saliva tests only can detect weed for a few days at most, and traces disappear from urine in a month or less for most users.
Hair is a very different story. The byproducts of cannabinoids get to the hair follicle through the bloodstream, work their way into the roots and then latch onto budding hair strands. About a week later those strands grow out of the scalp (or the skin, for facial or body hair) – and keep growing. Traces of THC indicators remain in regular users’ hair for many months while CBD won’t show up on a standard workplace drug test of a hair follicle.
It’s easy to understand why tokers facing a hair follicle test panic are likely to panic. (Actually, the hair follicles themselves aren’t tested, it’s the strands of hair growing from them. That’s only a semantic distinction, however.)
Don’t panic if you’re in this predicament. All is not necessarily lost.
How Long Does it Take for THC to Leave The Body?
This is perhaps the only question that runs through the mind of a person who is expecting a hair follicle drug test. As you may know, THC is the compound found in cannabis that is responsible for the euphoric effects. And, the duration in which it may last in your body depends on several factors. They include; the strain used, the amount smoked, your body metabolism and the diet you eat.
How frequently you use marijuana also plays a significant role. For instance, it could take 21 days for THC to leave the body of a rare user. A weekly user, you would have to wait at least a month. In the case of a regular user, THC could last for three months in your body. Therefore, if you have got a pending hair follicle marijuana test, then you need to consider all the above factors. If the math doesn’t add up, you should look for the ideal alternative. Now that you have the above in mind. You need to prepare yourself for a hair follicle marijuana test.
But, What is a Hair Follicle Marijuana Test?
A hair follicle test is similar to other drug tests only that the specimen in question here is your hair. It is accurate and can detect the presence of a wide range of drugs, cannabis inclusive. This is why it is so popular among companies.
Unlike other tests, however, the hair follicle test is capable of detecting long-term use. This is because human hair, compared to blood and urine, it can store compounds for a more extended period.
What Happens During a Hair Drug Test for Weed?
First, the test will be announced at least a week or two prior. This gives you sufficient time to come up with a way to pass the test. During the day of the test, a physician will cut a sample of your hair. They will need at least three clumps with 50 strands each. The sample will be taken to the lab for screening. The hair is taken from the back of your head or any other body parts if you are bald. The physician takes about 1.5 inches of a hair sample. And since hair grows 0.5 inches in a month. This means that if you have traces of weed in the last three months, you are likely to fail the test.
Remaining Calm When Facing a Hair Follicle Drug Test
Not sure what type of test they’re going to give you? That’s the first reason not to panic because fewer than 10% of companies currently test hair. Employers often avoid follicle tests because they’re controversial; thick African-American hair is more likely to test positive than thin Caucasian hair.
The second thing to know won’t help many people, but here it is anyway. If the only time you’ve smoked or had an edible in the last few months was within the last week or so, THC hasn’t been in your system long enough for evidence to show up in your hair.
Here’s a final piece of good news: the majority of companies that do hair testing are looking for more serious drugs, like coke, meth and serious opiates, not marijuana. There’s a good chance that you’ll skate if all you do is indulge in some bud, particularly if it’s only once in a while.
However, the testing industry believes that the follicle test is nearly 100% accurate, and some experts are now recommending that it be used instead of blood or urine tests, particularly with the proliferation of products like synthetic urine. So hair testing isn’t going away anytime soon.
The first thing many people do when facing a hair follicle test (particularly guys, of course) is shaving their heads. That’s a panic move that will almost never help. You’d have to shave your entire body since the testers will take hair from somewhere else if you have none on your scalp. And even if you shave everywhere, it shouldn’t be surprising that drug testers have seen that approach before. Many will just flunk you automatically; less-strict testers and companies may let you come back in 90 days for another test, but don’t count on it.
So shaving is a bad idea. Here are some better ones.
Passing a Hair Follicle Drug Test for Weed
We have to start with a disclaimer. No method for fooling a drug test is foolproof, and many are based on urban myths rather than science. The only sure way to pass a hair follicle test (or any other type of drug test) is to abstain from pot, ideally for at least 3-4 months.
That doesn’t help much since no employer is going to say “Congratulations! You’re hired! You start Monday, and you’ll be drug tested in four months.” So let’s get down to business.
First, a hail mary. Bleaching and dying your hair multiple times may damage your hair enough to make it useless to testers. What happens after that, though, is up to them – they may let you slide, or they may automatically flunk you because they assume you’ve been playing games. And bear in mind that the major testing labs say publicly that the bleaching approach doesn’t affect their results; there’s no way, unfortunately, to know if they’re telling the truth or trying to stop people from trying it.
Some stoner sites claim that you can soak your hair in vinegar, acne treatments containing salicylic acid, liquid detergents and/or peroxide to remove some of the THC indicators. That will probably damage your hair, and reports from those who’ve tried it show that the results are hit or miss, at best.
The Old Style Aloe Rid Shampoo
Scared that you will fail the hair follicle test for weed? Then the old style aloe rid shampoo is the answer you have been waiting for. This product is exceptionally effective in removing traces of THC in your hair. It has increased in popularity since it is one of the fastest and most effective ways you can use to pass a marijuana hair follicle test. When you compare it to other alternatives such as detox, it is quicker and guarantees accurate results.
How to Use The Old Style Aloe Rid Shampoo?
Has your boss or employer just surprised you with a hair follicle drug test for marijuana? The old-style aloe rid can help you pass this test. You need first to ensure that you get the shampoo from a trusted vendor.
You should begin using it at least five days before a hair follicle test for weed. Wash your hair at least once a day. In instances where the test is in two or three days, you can apply the shampoo multiple times a day. It’s simple as that.
Your best bet may be finding the right shampoo. Many “detox shampoos” are sold online, but most aren’t good enough; they’re designed to wash away traces of THC from the outside surfaces of hair shafts. Follicle tests, however, are looking for signs of drug use inside the shaft. The few products that can make a real difference will chemically force open the hair cuticle, allowing the shampoo to wash away cannabinoid indicators from the area that will actually be tested. For best results, you’ll have to use these shampoos multiple times, including right before your test.
One last suggestion: buy a home testing kit. After you use any of these detox or cleansing methods, doing your own test will give you a good idea of whether the methods are actually working.
Conclusion
Do any of these approaches guarantee that you’ll pass your test? Probably not, but that’s one of the risks you signed up for when you made cannabis part of your lifestyle. The best idea is to put your stoner days on hold a few months before starting a job search if you’re serious about finding a great position at a company that drug tests.