Whereas most drugs are naturally flushed out of the body in several days, in the case of marijuana, a chemical under the name of Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short, can linger behind for as long as several months, if you happen to use it regularly.
This means that your habit of smoking weed on a Friday night with old buddies might cost you a dream job or lead to losing the one you’ve got. Repercussions seem too grave to pay for a seemingly innocent vice, however more and more employers are taking advantage of the hair drug test, because it is not only quite precise, but also tells off the subject’s habit of drug abuse, even when they haven’t practiced it for a few days or weeks. For a start, what influences whether or not a substance will be detected after a certain period of time has passed?
How Long Will THC Stick Along?
The first factor, of course, is quantity. Single use might or might not be detected, whereas habitual abuse requires quite some effort in order to cover it up. You can read more about natural ways to do that in this article. The drug strength, together with the person’s lifestyle, diet, metabolism and overall body fat play a huge part in the process as well.
If you are a couch potato, you are likely to retain drug residue much longer than someone who exercises regularly or eats better. Sweat is the body’s mechanism to get rid of toxins, so if you want to detox, you need to move.
How Does the Hair Drug Test Work?
The test uses hair samples to identify THC metabolites and remnants of other drugs. It’s considerable accuracy makes it a favourite with companies who perform the check on their employees.
The usual blood and urine tests convey very recent drug use, since the substance is usually flushed out of the body in a matter of weeks.
The hair test gives a picture of whether a person has been “clear” for as long as 90 days. That is why, if you are tested in less than three months after smoking weed for example, you are going to need to perform some form of detox for a hair drug test in order to get the desirable results. How to do so successfully, though?
Performing A Proper Detox
Marijuana gets to the hair from the bloodstream. This means that, in order to get rid of traces in hair folicles, you need to remove the toxins from your blood. Clean blood will also mean clean hair.
If you need to speed up the detox process because you are short of time, the way to cut the period by a few weeks is to go on a special detox diet supplemented by herbal teas and remedies. Drinking more water and working out are also a must, if you want to flush out as many toxins as possible.
Detox Shampoos and Other Home Remedies
A dire, and often desperate measure if you are really pressed for time, is taking advantage of a detox shampoo. There are many options on the market, however some of them might cause a lot of damage and either make your hair unfit for testing or even causing suspicion during the test, since lab technicians are on the lookout for telltale signs of this kind of cheat attempts.
Another way to go about performing a detox wash is by mixing up a concotion of stuff you already have at home, such as vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda and a detergent. It will definitely take more time to prepare, but might turn out to be a safer alternative to some store bought varieties.
Check Yourself
Before you go to the hair test, make sure to check your results yourself. There are drug testing kits you can get access to easily and check for your own confidence before you go to the lab.
Of course, you can also shave your head but remember, this not only means you might be required to provide hair sample from other body parts, but also seems quite a suspicious thing to do before a hair drug test.
