How to Use Hair for Drug Testing

Testing hair follicles for traces of drugs is much more effective than a traditional urinalysis test. While most urine tests can only provide a 30-day history, hair follicle testing can provide a 12-month history. All hair follicle tests are federally required to check for marijuana, opiates, cocaine, amphetamines and PCP. Some tests or kits may be able to screen for additional substances.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Lab kit (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Find a laboratory to perform the hair follicle test or purchase a home lab kit. Laboratory testing tends to be more thorough and accurate than at-home testing. The laboratory need not be local; most labs accept samples and take orders by mail.

• 2

  Obtain written permission from the individual to perform a hair follicle test. If you are testing your minor child, this is not required. All other testing requires a signed permission form supplied by the lab.

• 3

  Cut a small section of hair from as close to the scalp as possible. The strand should be roughly the diameter of a shoelace. You need to cut from the scalp to obtain the most recent results. Every 1 1/2 inches of length will provide you with approximately 90 days of history. The standard hair follicle test goes back 90 days, but a more thorough history is possible.

• 4

  Send the hair sample to the lab of your choice or perform the test with your home lab kit. If you are sending a sample in, make sure to follow the laboratory instructions for labeling and packaging the hair sample.