When running a test for the presence of cannabis or any other kind of recreational drug in the body, there are different methods that can be used. Testing can be carried using any of the body fluids like saliva, sweat, urine and blood. Interestingly, hair follicles can also be used. In fact, in the case of cannabis, hair follicle test is the most sensitive as it can show usage from as far back as three months after the use of the substance. You can read about the different methods here.
Given the above, this type of test is the preferred choice when long term drug usage status is sought. You may therefore find a prospective employee asking a job applicant to perform this kind of test to know if they’ve imbibed any controlled substance within the last three months.
Note that this period is not a given for everyone. It is simply a possibility which will be affected by other factors. Let’s quickly look at some of these factors before we proceed.
Factors that Affect How Long Cannabis Stays Detectible in the Body
How long cannabis will remain detectible in the body will depend on a number of factors which include:
How Often it is Used
This is a very important determinant factor. It stands to reason that a person who takes in this or any other substance frequently will have such a substance continually detectible in their bodies. Even when the individual has stopped for a while, there will likely be a buildup that will require some time to clear from the system.
The Quantity that is Used
Next to frequency is the issue of quantity. It again stands to reason that anyone who takes a large dose of the drug will have a larger deposit of its toxins in their body. This will most definitely take longer to clear out from the system.
The User’s Lifestyle
This has to do with an individual’s metabolic rate. Anyone who has a naturally high metabolic rate or who engages in activities that increase their metabolic rate will have these toxins removed faster from their bodies than a person who lives a sedentary life style.
The User’s Body Weight
Cannabinoids are fat soluble compounds so they find their way to the areas in the body where fat is stored. An individual who has a lot of fat will have more storage points in their body, meaning also that they will be resident in the body for much longer than in an individual who does not have as much fat.
The Variety of the Drug Taken
There are different strains of this plant and each has a different level of concentration, a factor that will also affect how long it will remain detectible in the body.
You can get a much more detailed explanation here: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-weed-stay-in-your-system#detection-time-by-drug-test.
Understanding the Hair Follicle Drug Test Process
Let’s briefly look at what the process of hair follicle drug test actually entails. When an individual takes weed or marijuana, the THC compound and its associates get into the blood stream and the individual gets high. While the body quickly breaks down the compound (a process that lasts for a few hours), the cannabinoids compound attaches itself to the root of the hair or hair follicles. From this point, it is transferred into the hair strands themselves. This usually occurs over a period of about five to ten days.
You can deduce from this that the drug is not immediately detectible in the hair. It is only when it has been fully broken down by the body and is no longer detectible in the blood and some other body fluids that it becomes detectible in the hair. Simply put, it takes the length of time required for new hair to grow.
It is therefore for this reason that this method of testing always uses the part of the hair closest to the scalp. These are the new growths that are more likely to show any recent drug use.
To conduct this test, the technician will require not a single hair, but a small bunch, the thickness of a pencil or about hundred hair strands. If the individual to be tested has long hair, the top part will be cut off, leaving the 1.5 inches closest to the scalp.
The interesting thing about this method is that, once the sample has been taken, it can be tested over and over again. No new samples will be required should a new test be required either for some form of confirmation or for any other reasons within the same testing cycle.
How to Ensure You Pass the Test
Given all of the above, is there a way out for someone facing this kind of test? If you have been searching for an online guide to get weed out of your hair follicles, then this is the part you’ve been waiting for.
You are likely going to find a whole lot of suggestions on how to go about it. One suggestion you may find is the “vinegar wash” solution which involves a very tedious process of washing your hairs first with vinegar and allowing it sit for about 10 minutes. Next you add an acne treatment solution to the mix, allowing that soak in your hair for another 30 minutes.
With these done, you are then told to rub in a quantity of liquid detergent and mix everything up thoroughly. That’s not all, you will also be required to add a paste of water and detergent to this same hair and allow everything sit for about 30 minutes before rinsing everything out.
If you thought that process of tortuous, then you can simply look for a good quality detox shampoo specially made for this purpose. Before your test, wash your hair with the shampoo, following whatever instructions that come with it. When your hair sample is taken, it will test negative for the toxins.
Note that this shampoo does not remove the drug residue from your hair, it only masks it which is why you need to use it before going for the test. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully because they usually have a time frame during which the sample should be taken.
Conclusion
Everything we have written in this article is just to tell you that there is a solution (a proven one) for that hair drug test you are about to face. You therefore have no reason to despair. Follow our instructions and you will be fine.
