Facts about Hair Follicle Drug Testing

Seems like a big phrase, but in simple words, hair follicle drug testing is a means to test a person for drugs and substances, using their hair follicles. Read the article for more on facts about hair follicle drug testing, to understand it better.
Facts about Hair Follicle Drug Testing
"Samantha, was a healthy girl. However, she had a few flaws, who doesn't? But, Samantha's flaw was that she was into regular drug abuse. On the outside (according to all of her acquaintances), she seemed sober and a "good, clean person". However, in the privacy of her home and in the company of a chosen few friends, she used to regularly take drugs. The secret was "revealed to the world" when her company had its annual screening, a random drug testing at the workplace. Until the last year, the company used to conduct urinalysis, and Samantha used to get away with it. However, this year, thanks to the hair follicle drug test that was conducted, she was exposed.". Thanks to the hair follicle drug test report, her friends and family can get her the needed help and support, and enroll her in a drug rehab program.

Are you wondering "what is hair follicle drug testing"? Well, that is what I am here to help you out with. Hair follicle drug testing is a method to screen the person for drugs. It is a very interesting process and here is my humble attempt to let you know more about it, with the help of these interesting facts about hair follicle drug testing.

Hair Follicle Drug Testing Facts # 1
The first of the facts about hair follicle drug testing is, that this process stands on the principle that once a substance is processed by the human body, traces of that substance are deposited in the hair follicles, by the blood stream. Read to know more on facts about hair drug testing.

Hair Follicle Drug Testing Facts # 2
The second and super interesting of the facts about hair follicle drug testing is, that a hair follicle drug test covers a time period of 90 days. Yes, it can vary at times, but on an average, it will reveal about a 90 day history. However, 90 days is the period for the hair on the head, it differs for hair on the other parts of the body.

Hair Follicle Drug Testing Facts # 3
Facts about hair follicle drug testing also includes the fact, that the following substances can be traced in a hair follicle drug test:
  • Cocaine
  • Marijuana
  • Opiates
  • Methamphetamine
  • Phencyclidine
For all of these drug classes, the mandatory check by the federal government, is a hair follicle drug test. This is because, one can make sure that the substance was consumed, by the traces remaining in the hair follicle, even after the substance leaves the blood stream.

Hair Follicle Drug Testing Facts # 4
A very important one, of the facts about hair follicle drug testing, is that hair from any part of the body can be used for hair follicle drug testing. However, since body hair are replaced annually, if the testing is done on body hair (rather than the hair on the head), only traces of substances that have left the blood stream about a year ago, will still show!

Hair Follicle Drug Testing Facts # 5
The last of the most interesting and important facts about hair follicle drug testing, is that the hair follicle drug tests are more effective than a urinalysis drug test. This is because, in a urinalysis, the traces of the substance can show only if the substance is in the blood stream. However, in hair follicle drug testing, the follicles hold traces of the substances, even long after the substance hes left the blood stream! Read to know more on facts about passing drug tests.

There must have been a question in your mind about how exactly do the traces get deposited in the hair, right? Well my dear, any and everything that you eat, drink, breathe in, smoke, etc. enters your blood stream and later goes on to the hair follicles, to "nourish the hair". That is why it is said that one you have substances that are good for the hair in their diet. So, this is how traces of substances are deposited in the hair follicles.
This is where I sign off! Stay clean so you can stay clear!

By Rashida Khilawala
Published: 9/10/2009
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