You're wrapping up your job interview and things couldn't be going any better. All of a sudden, the interviewer says,

Congratulations, we'd like to offer you the job. Please take a hair follicle drug test tomorrow and we'll be ready to move forward.

 Total buzzkill.

There are plenty of people who share the same concerns as you. Many users of substances such as THC have researched methods to cheat the drug screen. This way they safeguard their job opportunities.

You can follow in their footsteps and take a plan of action to pass the test too. Everything you need to know about follicle tests is in this article. Take a few minutes to read and understand everything so you walk away with the result you want.

4 Most Popular Ways To Beat The Follicle Test

  1. Shave All Your Hair
    (least chance to pull off)
  2.  Aloe Rid Detox Shampoo
    (MOST RELIABLE)
  3. Light Smoker Loophole
    (only for occasional users)
  4. DYI Home Remedies
    (best to combine with Aloe Rid)

For more information about follicle test read further or click here.

Shave It All Off

picture of shaving guyYour strand has three layers. The most important layer is the cortex in which drug metabolites are stored. A strand test requires three months of growth. This is how long drug particles are kept in your hair.

If you clean shave, you remove every trace of drugs that were in the strands. When your hair grows out you need to remain clean of banned substances. If you continue to consume substances, the metabolites will pass through your system again and stay in your strands.

PROS: This method costs you nothing.

CONS: The problem with this method is if your scalp hair is too short the technician may get longer one from other parts of your body.

Technicians may take a sample from the chest or armpits. If you shave as part of your grooming habits they can't judge you nor will they be suspicious. In this case, they may either delay or use another form of test.

 If, like us, you believe the drug screens are not something to gamble on, consider using detox shampoos.

Specialized THC Detox Shampoo

detoxifying shampoosOnce the hair grows past the follicle it's dead and the cells aren't cleaning themselves anymore. The cells won't be affected by anything you ingest.

Specialized Detox Shampoos are to cleanse and remove all the toxins from your strands.

PROS: Fairly easy to use, most reliable at the moment.

CONS: Sadly, most detox shampoos currently on the market don't work.

However, there's one brand proven to work according to people who've used it – Aloe Rid.

notice

IMPORTANT: you need to make sure you're buying the old formula (available only at official website).

The old version is in high demand and there's a limited supply available.

If you've found it on Amazon, etc. it's either fake or the new formula which doesn't work!

I want it now!

Or read our full review of Nexxus Aloe Rid below.

Note: After using detox shampoo, you're always at risk of recontamination. For best results wash your sheets and replace anything that touches your head.

Light User Loophole (Passing Naturally)

If you consumed a small amount of drugs only once in the past few months, there is a high chance the substance has passed through your system.

Follicle tests look for prolonged usage. If you smoked for four consecutive days, the test results would be positive because it recognizes a "clump" of usage. The test will also show the same result if you consumed over 0.5g of drugs in one sitting once.

PROS: The only thing you need to do is to stop smoking before the test.

CONS: Very unreliable. The loophole method is effective only if the amount was small and the number of times you used substances is low. Still, there's no guarantee it will work.

Warning: use at your own risk!

DIY Home Detox Remedies (How To Get THC Out Of Your Hair)

Note: You need to stop using substances before starting any of these remedies.

These methods are designed to improve the effectiveness of detox shampoos and have gathered good feedback from those who've tried them. For either of two, it's recommended to use only Aloe Rid shampoo.

PROS:  These techniques can improve the effect of Aloe Rid detox shampoo even further and help you pass the test.

CONS: Both methods are complicated and involve potentially toxic chemicals so you need to be extremely careful. Use provided information at your own risk.

Macujo Method

picture of macujo methodMacujo method is a seven-step cleansing routine consisting of four products:

  • Heinz vinegar
  • Clear and Clean
  • Aloe Rid Shampoo
  • Laundry detergent

The procedure is as follows:

  • Massage Heinz Vinegar into your scalp. Your hair needs to be damp.
  • Add Clear and Clean to the scalp & also massage it in.
  • Wash the first two mixtures out using the Aloe Rid Shampoo.
  • The final step requires you wash your head again using Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent.

You may want to cover your eyes and ears during this method because the chemicals are strong. You can experience burning, itching or irritation if the solution comes into contact with those body parts.

You need to repeat this at least five times to effectively remove any traces of drugs from your follicles. This increases your chances of a negative result.

Jerry G Method (The Alternative)

The Jerry G method is another DIY home detox remedy. It consists of eight steps and a total of five products. You'll need:

  • Baking soda
  • Peroxide bleach
  • 2 × Hair dye with ammonia
  • Toxin wash shampoo
  • Ultra clean shampoo

The procedure is:

  • Peroxide your hair.
  • Dye it back using a permanent dye with ammonia. Dye it back to your natural color to avoid suspicion.
  • Wash thoroughly with Toxin Rid Shampoo.
  • 10 days later bleach and dye again. Wash with Toxin Rid Shampoo.
  • On the day of the test wash your head one last time with a baking soda paste.
  • Rinse the paste out with the Toxin Rid Shampoo. Wash again with Ultra Clean Shampoo.

The downside to this is the peroxide can cause damage to your hair.

Alternative DYI Methods

Food Supplements and Pills

detox supplementsA search on the internet will bring you to pages of supplements and pills that can be used to flush your body for drug testing. The problem is, these may be good for the urine test, but if the THC-COOH is in the strands, they will not work.

The reason it is too late is that even if you flush your system, it will not take the chemicals out of your strands.

Many have stated that there are herbs that can be used after you smoke to take the chemicals out of your body before it gets to your follicles. Two of the best-known herbs are Goldenseal and Dandelion Red Clover.

There are also those who swear by vitamin supplements, but there is no substantial evidence that it helps to pass a strand test. Because there is no clear evidence produced, the use of supplements and pills cannot be advocated.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has been used since the old days to clean hair and much more. The apple cider vinegar will remove some toxins but it's very unlikely that using it alone will help you pass the screening.

Those who smoke marijuana will want to combine the apple cider vinegar with other steps for detoxing.

detox drinksOther concoctions found on the Internet may include ingredients like:

  • Lemon juice
  • Salicylic acid
  • Rosemary oil
  • Sea salt
  • Aloe Vera
  • Bentonite clay
  • Activated charcoal

But these are more of folk medicine rather than a real detox solution. Drinking a lot of water also won't help much with follicle test.

Best Hair Detox Shampoo Reviews

Nexxus Aloe Rid Old Formula

Nexxus Aloe Rid Shampoo is the number one recommended product.

image of aloe rid

It removes most impurities which are harmful to the internal and external structures of your follicles. They include:

  • Residual medication
  • Heavy metals
  • Chlorine
  • Hard water minerals
  • Environmental pollutants

Since the product removes most dirt from the hair it has no problem in removing THC and other metabolites. The shampoo needs the help of other solutions to effectively remove all substance traces.

If you use this product in conjunction with the Jerry G or Macujo Method it'll remove unwanted substances from your hair. It's important to wash it more than once to guarantee an effective clean.

The Nexxus Aloe Rid Shampoo has predominately positive reviews. Those who didn't pass hair tests, failed because they only used the shampoo by itself. You need to wash with other solutions to remove all traces of drugs (see DYI remedies).

Hair Razor

image of hair razorThis detox product is formulated to target the follicle. Razor arrives in a set. The one bottle marked Step One is the pre-treatment gel. You massage your head with pretreatment gel first. Rinse the gel and wash with the Step Two bottle.

These two bottles have separate formulas which tackle the different metabolites. Two formulas were made because of their chemical nature. For example, the chemicals used to destroy THC metabolites aren't effective for cocaine. You need to use products that work specifically for a certain drug.

Hair Razor works by breaking down drug metabolites in the Keratin structure. This is done through the brand's propriety combination of penetrating and metabolizing agents.

If you need to pass the screening, you can opt to only use this product. You don't need other solutions such as detergent or bleach to break down the strand.

There are records which show people passed their strand test with Hair Razor. But because of different chemical combinations, don't rely too heavily on this product in all situations. It's formulated to remove specific substances only and any prescription drug may affect the result.

Zydot Ultra Clean

Zydot Ultra Clean is an internal hair purifying treatment. The detox shampoo removes the following:

  • Medications
  • Chemical buildup
  • Other impurities

There are three parts to Zydot Ultra Clean:

  • First, the shampoo removes the barrier to expose the inner hair
  • The purifier penetrates through the follicle to the cortex to remove any impurities including drug metabolites
  • The conditioner adds sheen and improves the manageability of your hair.

Zydot Ultra Clean contains Aloe Vera to condition both the hair and the scalp. The description of the detox shampoo gives the perception that it works. However, there are literally an even amount of positive and negative reviews.

Some people followed instructions carefully. They've even ensured their head doesn't touch any contaminated clothes or sheets. These people passed the test. On the other side of the spectrum, people used this shampoo with the Macujo method and they still failed. Because factors such as temperature also play a role you're never guaranteed a specific outcome.

Synergy Detox Toxin Wash

image of toxin washSynergy detox is specifically designed to reduce the toxin levels in your strands. When drug metabolites are below a certain level they can't be detected in a lab follicle test.

The item is also specifically designed for light users of:

  • Marijuana
  • Benzo
  • Opiate

Users must consume this type of drug 1-2 times a week before it will be picked up in a test.

A precision cleans shampoo can be bought as an additional product. The product is best to use for light users of cocaine and methamphetamine. You'll need one bottle for your whole head. It's better to get two if you want to detox your body as well.

Synergy Detox Toxin Shampoo has a 92% success rate in reducing toxin levels. However, there's always a chance of lab test detecting trace amounts of drugs.

Total Detox Friend

This product is made with natural ingredients. It includes a combination of vitamins, minerals and herbal cleansers. Although the brand attempts to be successful it's not the case most of the time. This product is least recommended.

Total Detox Friend removes impurities in the hair caused by the environment. It doesn't always penetrate through the stand to remove drug metabolites from the follicle.

If this is your last option you can still pass your screen. If you use it more than twice with the Jerry G or Macujo Method it can remove the impurities. You'll never know what the result will be. Use home testing kits to determine if this product does work in combination with the other two methods.

Hair Follicle Drug Test Facts

image of strand testA hair screen is an examination that uses a small sample to detect any drugs in your system.

The sample is cut close to the scalp as possible and the most recent 3.9cm or 1.5'' of your hair—starting from the root—is tested. The test measures all the substance molecules and the specific metabolites they produce after the drug has been processed by the body.

The test requires 40+ milligrams or approximately 50-70 strands 3.9cm or 1.5'' in length. The amount extracted depends on the thickness. If hair is thin, then more strands are needed to test for drugs.

Most of the time follicle tests are accurate in detecting multiple uses over a specific period. They're reliable because they can trace usage as far as 90 days back.

The accuracy rate is reduced because users can perform methods that cause negative results. These methods remove any traces of substances from the strands so the tests won't pick it up.

How Much Time Do You Have?

You can beat the follicle test system if you have the perfect grace period. So what can you do based on the time you have before your test? Let's break it down.

12 to 24 Hours

If your hair test is sooner than expected, you still have a chance to pass. There are special weed shampoos available. These shampoos penetrate deep into the hair shafts and remove any traces of drugs' metabolites. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully to guarantee its effectiveness.

A Few Days to a Week

Drug metabolites stay in your hair for a long time. If you think the shampoo didn't work and there is no time for other treatments the best option for you is to shave it off. When your hair grows out the new strands won't show any traces of substance usage.

90 Days or More

If you have over three months to have a test, you can make use of more efficient methods:

  • Take an at-home test to measure the substances in your system.
  • Use home remedies with robust solutions that wash out the drug traces. The most common methods are Jerry G and Macujo.

Hair Test Detection Time (How Far Back Does It Go?)

With any substance you consume, traces of it remain in your hair.

The detection is possible in the following timelines:

Drug Detection Period
Adderall Up to 90 Days
Benzo Up to 90 Days
Opiates Up to 90 Days
Coke Up to 90 Days
THC (Weed) Up to 90 Days
Codeine Up to 90 Days
Crack Up to 90 Days
Oxycodone Up to 90 Days
Hydrocodone Up to 90 Days
Vicodin Up to 90 Days
Xanax Up to 90 Days
Methadone Up to 90 Days

A bit repetitive. But the reason why drugs commonly stay in your follicle for 90 days is that it grows up to 1.5cm per month. Your hair doesn't grow fast enough in one month to grow out and expel the drug. When the technicians cut out a piece of your hair strand, the old hair still has traces.

Passing 5-panel vs. 12-panel Screening

The panel number reflects how many substances need to be looked for in the drug test.

A 5-panel test typically looks for these substances:

  • Cocaine
  • Marijuana
  • Amphetamine
  • Opiates
  • PCP

12-panel tests look for these drugs:

  • Cocaine
  • Marijuana
  • PCP
  • Amphetamines
  • Opiates
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Barbiturates
  • Methadone
  • Propoxyphene
  • Quaaludes
  • Ecstasy/MDA
  • Oxycodone/Percoset

The 7-panel test looks for:

  • Marijuana
  • Cocaine
  • Opiates
  • PCP
  • Amphetamines
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Barbiturates

Additional drugs 9-panel tests look for:

  • Cannabinoids
  • Methadone
  • Oxycodone
  • Oxymorphone
  • Phencyclidine

10-panel tests search for:

  • Five street drugs such as:
    • Cocaine
    • Heroin
    • Meth
    • Marijuana
    • PCP
  • These five prescription drugs:
    • Benzodiazepines
    • Quaaludes
    • Methadone
    • Propoxyphene
    • Barbiturates

14-panel tests test for fourteen common drugs people consume. Each panel test doesn't have a secret formula for you to pass. You can use the Jerry G or Macujo Method to clean all drug traces from your hair. These methods have a high chance of working no matter the panel test conducted.

Hair Recovery After Detox

picture of girl with damaged hairAfter detoxing your hair, you may feel like you have caused so much damage it will never be the same again. Now is the time to get your hair back to the natural way it should be.

You will not want to be using any chemicals or heat on your hair until it is fully repaired. You may be noticing that it is dry and breaking easy. It is time to rescue your hair and scalp.

One of the easiest and effective ways to deep condition your hair is to use olive oil. Take olive oil and pour it into a mug. Heat the oil in the microwave until it is nice and warm.

Massage the oil into the hair and scalp making sure to work the oil all the way to the bottom. Wrap your hair in a plastic shower cap or towel. Let the oil sit for about 30-45 minutes.

Wash your head using a very gentle shampoo and make sure to condition it. This may have to be repeated a few times before you notice a change.

During this time try not to use anything on your hair. Even hairsprays can contain alcohol that can cause further damage.

FAQ

How THC Gets into Your Hair?

THC can get into your strands in a couple of separate ways. When you smoke marijuana, the smoke does get into your hair, and there is THC in the smoke. The other way is through your bloodstream and sweat glands.

The THC metabolite that the labs are testing for is THC-COOH. THC-COOH is the byproduct of weed that enters your body. The THC-COOH is mostly found in the sweat glands on the scalp.

THC can also get into your strands if you smoke the marijuana and then touch your strands. If you suspect that you will be going for a drug test, it is advisable to not even stand near someone who is smoking.

Although you are not smoking, the second-hand smoke can and will get into your follicles. There are ways to get the THC-COOH out of your strands so that you will be able to ace the drug test with flying colors.

Can You Fail a Drug Test from Second Hand Smoke?

No, you won't test positive for marijuana if you're exposed to second-hand smoke only. The lab test looks for the metabolite. This is a term used to describe the byproduct in your body.

You aren't technically ingesting THC or any other drug with second-hand smoke. Therefore, it won't show in your hair.

How Can I Pass Drug Screening with Dreadlocks or Perm?

Dreadlocks and perms change the texture of the hair. If your hair is damp, it gets straighter which makes it easier to work the solution or shampoo into your head.

However, because dreads are thicker it's difficult to extract the drug metabolites from each follicle. You can't work on each dreadlock.

Home remedies and shampoos that remove marijuana may not be your best option. So if you have dreadlocks the best options for you is to bleach your hair at least two times before the test. You can also just shave it off.

How Can I Pass If I Have Very Short or Very Long Hair?

If you have short hair the drug metabolites are probably carried in the cortex. The tips may be closer to the scalp so the technician may use your whole strand. If you have short hair it's best to do any home remedy to remove any metabolite traces.

If you haven't consumed any drugs for at least 100 days your new hair growth won't show any drug traces. The lab technician takes a sample of the new hair and discards the rest. You can also do home remedies or cut your hair down to 1.5'' in length before your test.

Any Special Instructions for African American To Pass the Test?

African Americans' hair tends to hold more metabolites and grows slower. The Macujo method is still perfect to use to wash out the metabolites. You may have to do more than one application.

Using a detox shampoo is very important because it removes most unnatural or harmful substances. If you follow the instructions carefully and take time to massage & wash your head you have a high chance of passing your test.

Can I Pass a Strand Test If I'm Using Hair Relaxer?

There have been successful stories that indicate that relaxers made people pass their drug tests. You need to relax your hair more than once to remove drug traces. You can also bleach it to make certain the traces are removed from the follicle.

One issue with this method is it can damage your hair. Use other products which protect it from damage.

Can I Pass a Follicle Test If My Hair Is Dirty?

Unfortunately, dirt won't save you. Dirty hair doesn't cover up the cortex in which drug metabolites are stored. If you continue to smoke you will fail if you don't use other methods to remove drug metabolites. The technicians can remove these from the cortex.

If you haven't consumed drugs for at least 100 days you should pass. The new follicles that have grown during this period won't have metabolites.

Is There An Alcohol Test Done By Hair?

With technology moving forward at current speed, there is now alcohol testing available through the follicle testing. Although the types of tests used most often are still the urine and blood tests.

With more alcohol testing being performed in the workplace, there will be more alcohol follicle screening in the workplace.

Do They Use These Types Of Tests For Child Custody?

The courts could have you take a hair screening for child custody. First, it depends on the court case and the judge. If you are doing drugs and trying to win custody of a minor it is time to take a break from the drugs. Because the follicle testing is so sensitive it is better to be safe than sorry.

Can You Pass a Drug Test Without Buying Anything (For Free)?

You can pass the drug test only if you abstain from the drugs. Drug bypass is found deep in the follicle.

If you can't abstain you will need chemicals and detox shampoos. These solutions strip the strand's layers and remove the drug traces.

Conclusion

Indeed, you shouldn't worry if you have a follicle test scheduled. Though many people and companies prefer this method of testing, it's not entirely bulletproof.

If you remember all the information learned you'll know what to do when it comes to your random drug test. With the right remedy and products like Aloe Rid, you can cheat the follicle drug test you fear. Now you can relax.

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Video Tutorial & References