How to Drug Test Hair at Home

Concerned parents may give their children drug tests to determine if they need drug addiction help and counseling. Other people may perform a home drug test if they have recently given up drugs and want to know if the toxins are out of their bodies yet. There are several types of home tests available, including hair drug tests. These tests tend to be more expensive than others, because you must send the sample to a laboratory. Hair tests cannot confirm alcohol use. Most hair tests check for marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, opiates and methamphetamines. Some also test for prescription drugs.

Things You'll Need

• Test kit
• Scissors
• Rubbing alcohol
• Envelope

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Instructions

• 1

  Read the test kit's instructions. Each brand will have different directions, but in general there are three parts to the testing process: collecting the sample, sending the sample to the laboratory and receiving the results.

• 2

  Swab the scissors with rubbing alcohol to sterilize them.

• 3

  Collect the hair sample. The lab tests either head hair or body hair. Ideally, the hair should be at least 1.5 inches long. Take about 120 strands, or enough hair to equal the diameter of a pencil eraser. You may need to collect hair from several different places. Cut as close to the skin or scalp as possible without injuring the subject.

• 4

  Place the hair sample in the package or envelope provided by the test kit. Follow the test kit's exact directions for doing so. For example, the test kit may specify exactly where to place the roots of the hair.

• 5

  Seal the envelope or package.

• 6

  Mail the sample to the test kit company's laboratory. Most test kits provide an envelope for shipping and some offer pre-paid postage.

• 7

  Wait for the results. Depending on the test kit company, this will take at least several days. Some companies may mail you the results. Others may post the results electronically, requiring you to log in to their website.

• 8

  Consult a doctor if the results are positive. While it is extremely rare, a false positive is possible. Ask your doctor for recommendations on local testing facilities. Have a professional collect the sample to verify the results.