Among the various drug testing options available to parents and employers, perhaps the most powerful and effective is the hair follicle drug test. While urinalysis or saliva drug test kits can detect trace amounts of drugs for up to 3 weeks after usage, the hair follicle drug test scans the metabolites which are left in the body long after a user has stopped abusing drugs. This means that the hair follicle drug test can be uses to screen for any drug use during the last 3 months, even if the subject is not currently using illegal substances. A quality hair follicle drug test can also detect the presence of several common drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, opiates, prescription painkillers, and mood altering drugs prescribed for psychiatric patients. To gain a comprehensive insight into your child’s or employee’s drug use, including any pattern of prior addiction, the hair follicle drug test is the best testing option available.

A hair follicle drug test requires only a sample of a few strands of hair to be collected and submitted for testing. While urinalysis and saliva drug tests are dependent on the metabolization rate of the subject, a rate which can be altered by a variety of external factors, hair follicle drug tests rely on metabolites stored in new hair growth. This method of testing allows for greater depth, because it does not require traces of drugs which can be flushed from the body through sweat, urine, and other means. As long as hair continues to grow from the body the trace evidence of drug use will be deposited in the hair follicles.

Hair follicle drug testing is also effective in preventing subjects from evading detection or “fooling” the test. People who choose to shave their heads in advance of a hair follicle test can still be tested through the use of body or pubic hair. Employees who must undergo employment drug testing have concluded that hair follicle drug testing is by far the least invasive testing method available. This is important for building morale and retaining the trust of loyal, drug free employees. The cost effectiveness of hair follicle testing is also a tremendous benefit and because the test kits are small and easy to use, an employer can purchase them in bulk and store them for later use. The hair follicle drug tests combines the ease of urinalysis testing with the non-invasive qualities of saliva testing to create the perfect drug testing option for the houseold or the workplace.