Just found out I have to have a hair follicle test

[Babyd0ll]

I found the hair bonnet. I am going to pick it up now, along with the pH test strips and the trisodium phosphate.

I've gotten the above items now. What are the next steps please?

[DrBill100]

Please cut enough hair to 1) send for testing and 2) test the product prior to use. Here is a link to how to cut hair and from where Hair Test

Here is an illustration of a human hair (pilosebaceous unit), also a microscopic view of the hair shaft, and a drawing of the process of opening the cuticle. Look these over. Want you to be able to visualize the process you are using.

Pilosebaceous unit.
Illustration of capillary system surround hair and feeding the epidermis
Actual human hair.
Illustration of hair cuticle (simplification of process)

This isn't a course in dermatology so no need to have a complex understanding of the foregoing. However, you should know the target of the process.

Actually there are only four words you need to remember: Heat, cold, alkaline, acid.

In order to keep the cuticle open allowing exposure of the inner cortex requires heat and alkalinity. That opens and softens the cuticle. Cold and acid base substances have just the opposite result.

Your hair is slightly acidic (pH 4.5-5.5) and water is neutral at 7. Water and heat opens and keeps the cuticle open. However, we want to create a pH gradient, higher on the outside than inside of the hair shaft. So for that purpose you will add baking soda to a plain water mix. The mixture should be in the area of 8.5-9.
pH. This is the mixture that you will first wash you hair with. It should be as hot as possible. You will not rinse but after washing leave in hair, put on a shower cap, then use the hair dryer to keep the hair hot allowing penetration of the mix over at least a 30 minute period. The point is to create a high-humidity in which the hair remains and soaks. (We used this mix in a hair steamer so there was no problem maintaining the moisture level. With a dryer just want to be careful that the heat doesn't dry the hair too quickly) After doing that you can then wash your hair with any shampoo but keeping high heat and rinse. Towel dry. That is step 1.

At any point in the process if you have any doubt about how it will affect your hair then use some of the hair removed (above) and expose that to the treatment first.

Keep in mind that you are attempting to remove or neutralize two (2) separate molecules, THC and THC-COOH. They have different physico-chemical properties.

[DrBill100]

Checked back for 2 days with no response. I will be unavailable now for about 3 weeks. Wish you the best and hope everything works out. Please don't use the first step independently.

[Babyd0ll]

Checked back for 2 days with no response. I will be unavailable now for about 3 weeks. Wish you the best and hope everything works out. Please don't use the first step independently.

The good news: I took the hair follicle test and passed it.

The bad news: My company fired me today anyway because I admitted to them that I had smoked cannabis in Amsterdam in May of 2012.


Thanks for all your posts and recommended help. It is greatly appreciated.

[actorguy]

Please cut enough hair to 1) send for testing and 2) test the product prior to use. Here is a link to how to cut hair and from where Hair Test

Here is an illustration of a human hair (pilosebaceous unit), also a microscopic view of the hair shaft, and a drawing of the process of opening the cuticle. Look these over. Want you to be able to visualize the process you are using.

Pilosebaceous unit.
Illustration of capillary system surround hair and feeding the epidermis
Actual human hair.
Illustration of hair cuticle (simplification of process)

This isn't a course in dermatology so no need to have a complex understanding of the foregoing. However, you should know the target of the process.

Actually there are only four words you need to remember: Heat, cold, alkaline, acid.

In order to keep the cuticle open allowing exposure of the inner cortex requires heat and alkalinity. That opens and softens the cuticle. Cold and acid base substances have just the opposite result.

Your hair is slightly acidic (pH 4.5-5.5) and water is neutral at 7. Water and heat opens and keeps the cuticle open. However, we want to create a pH gradient, higher on the outside than inside of the hair shaft. So for that purpose you will add baking soda to a plain water mix. The mixture should be in the area of 8.5-9.
pH. This is the mixture that you will first wash you hair with. It should be as hot as possible. You will not rinse but after washing leave in hair, put on a shower cap, then use the hair dryer to keep the hair hot allowing penetration of the mix over at least a 30 minute period. The point is to create a high-humidity in which the hair remains and soaks. (We used this mix in a hair steamer so there was no problem maintaining the moisture level. With a dryer just want to be careful that the heat doesn't dry the hair too quickly) After doing that you can then wash your hair with any shampoo but keeping high heat and rinse. Towel dry. That is step 1.

At any point in the process if you have any doubt about how it will affect your hair then use some of the hair removed (above) and expose that to the treatment first.

Keep in mind that you are attempting to remove or neutralize two (2) separate molecules, THC and THC-COOH. They have different physico-chemical properties.

Hello Dr. Bill,

Could you please continue with this information as I have a hair follicle test coming up in three weeks. I've smoked maybe 5 times in the last 2 months tops. I'm a male with Afro-textured hair. Could you help me out? Do you think I could pass the test without doing anything. I have about .5 inch hair on my head. Last smoke was was 3 weeks ago.

Thanks

[Katierenee789]

I haven't smoked in a year and recently around April/may had a small bite of food that had cans is in it!!! Will I be okay for a court ordered hair test? Has anyone else been through something like this?

[Katierenee789]

I haven't smoked in a year and recently around April/may had a small bite of food that had cans is in it!!! Will I be okay for a court ordered hair test? Has anyone else been through something like this?

I meant canabis