How to Detect Drugs in Hair Samples

Hair testing is one of the most reliable and least invasive ways to test for drug use. Hair growth is fed by blood which deposits drug molecules inside the hair's shaft. To test hair for evidence of drug use, you must send it to a lab. You may make an appointment at a lab in your area, or send away for a home test kit. With either method, the test will reveal any evidence of drug use within the last 90 days. A standard drug test is able to test for cocaine, marijuana, opiates, methamphetamines and phencyclidine.

Things You'll Need

• Home drug test kit

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash and dry the hair.

• 2

  Cut 80 to 120 strands (or as many as directed) of hair as close to the skin as possible. The lab will test the 1.5 inches closest to the scalp. If no head hair is available, body hair is an acceptable substitute. In a lab, the technician may take the sample for you. Some labs will allow you to submit samples from a brush or other source without the donor present. However, the results cannot be conclusively attached to an individual and are inadmissible in court.

• 3

  Package the sample according to the home test kit's instructions. If the hair is not properly sealed in its packaging, some laboratories may reject the sample.

• 4

  Wait for the mailed results, register for them online or pick them up at the clinic.