Hair Follicle Testing Facts
Drug testing is done to determine the presence of drugs in the human body. Hair follicle testing is a popular option because it can test drug usage dating back several months. The federal government uses this type of testing on all their government employees.
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Testing
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A small piece of hair is taken directly from the top of the head. The test measures the amount of drug molecules left in the hair, and determines the type of drug taken and when it was taken.
Rate
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Hair follicle tests can find drug use dating back to 90 days. If a longer piece of hair is taken from the head, the test can determine drug usage dating back even further.
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Drugs Tested
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These tests can find evidence of marijuana, cocaine, codeine and other opiates, as well as methamphetamines such as ecstasy and PCP. These are listed as the five major classes of drugs.
Hair
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Most follicle tests use hair from the head, but they can also use hair from other parts of the body. This often occurs in cases when the individual being tested is bald or has extremely short hair.
Size
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This type of test requires a minimum of 50 strands of hair. In individuals who have lighter-colored or thinning hair, the tester may need 70 strands or more.
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