Last Updated on May 10, 2024
How long does weed stay in a hair follicle? Weed can stay in your hair for 90 days, sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. It all depends on factors like your weed use, body composition, and genetics.
The good news is that there are things you can do to speed up the elimination of marijuana in your system. Once you try these strategies, you can take an at-home hair drug test to see if your efforts are working.
Learn more about the factors influencing how long weed stays in your hair and what to do about it in this guide.
How Long Does Weed Stay in a Hair Follicle?
Weed can stay in a hair follicle for an average of up to 90 days after your last use. This is only an average. Some people may get a positive weed hair follicle test after 90 days, while others may be negative in fewer days.
Hair follicle tests have the longest drug test detection period. Weed can only be detected in urine for around 30 days. It clears blood and saliva even faster, usually in one to three days.
Though hair follicle tests are more sensitive, they often result in false positives since they are less accurate. Weed can get into your hair in many ways, including if you inhale secondhand marijuana smoke.
how long does marijuana stay in system
The duration marijuana stays in the system varies depending on several factors, including frequency of use, metabolism, and the type of test being conducted. In blood tests, traces of THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana, can typically be detected for up to one to two days after use. However, in heavy or frequent users, it may remain detectable for slightly longer, up to a week.
On the other hand, in hair follicle tests, THC metabolites can be detected for a much longer period, often up to 90 days after last use. This is because THC and its metabolites become incorporated into the hair as it grows, providing a longer window for detection compared to blood or urine tests. Hair follicle tests are often used in situations where a longer detection period is required, such as in workplace drug screenings.
Understanding the duration marijuana stays in the system is crucial for individuals undergoing drug testing or seeking to abstain from use. While blood tests offer a shorter detection window, they are more sensitive and can detect recent use with greater accuracy.
Conversely, hair follicle tests provide a broader timeframe for detection, making them suitable for assessing long-term or chronic use patterns. Ultimately, the duration marijuana stays in the system varies depending on the individual’s physiology and usage habits, highlighting the importance of considering multiple factors when interpreting drug test results.
Factors That Affect a Weed Hair Follicle Test
If you have a hair follicle drug test coming up, you probably want exact answers. It is hard to give a definite timeline without doing an at-home hair test. Otherwise, many factors can influence the results.
How much weed you use, how often you use it, how potent your weed is, and personal factors like BMI and metabolism all influence how fast or slow weed will clear from your hair follicles.
How Much You Use
If you use large doses of weed, it will be detectable in your body for longer. Using a small amount of weed means your body will clear it faster, though this varies based on genetics and body fat percentage.
How Often You Use
Using weed regularly will increase the amount of time it stays in your system. That is true whether you regularly use small doses or large doses of weed.
In general, people use weed every now and then will clear it faster from their system. This is especially true for first-time users.
The Potency of the Weed
The more potent the weed, the higher the levels of THC, which is the active ingredient most hair tests are looking for.
Potency is related to dose. If you use a small amount of potent weed, the dose will be higher, and the THC will stay in your body for longer.
The way you consume weed can also affect potency. For example, smoking or vaping weed will deliver more THC to your body than ingesting THC edibles.
Body Composition
THC is stored in body fat. People with higher body mass indexes (BMIs) have a more difficult time getting rid of weed for that reason. Meanwhile, people with lower body fat percentages will not store THC for as long.
The BMI component is also why women tend to test positive for weed for longer. Males usually have a lower body fat percentage, so their bodies can clear weed faster.
Genetics
One of the main reasons for the differing amounts of time it takes to get weed of your hair follicles comes down to genetics. Genetics helps to determine metabolism, or how long the body takes to process substances like weed.
Someone with a fast metabolism can clear substances like weed faster. The reverse is true for people with slower metabolisms.
The good news is that genetics is not the only factor that influences your metabolism. You can speed up your body’s ability to process substances by putting on muscle.
How to Get Weed Out of Your Hair Follicles Fast
Worried about weed showing up on your hair follicle drug test? The first thing to do is to take an at-home hair follicle test to see what you are dealing with. If your test comes up positive, here are some tips to try.
Color Your Hair
Dark-colored, healthy hair holds onto weed for longer than unhealthy, light-colored hair. That is why many people bleach or color their hair lighter before a hair follicle test.
For example, a 2021 study looked at the effects of hydrogen peroxide treatments on levels of methamphetamines in the hair. The study found that bleaching degrades drugs like meth in the hair.
Avoid Dehydration
It’s a myth that drinking a lot of water before a drug test can help you pass. This tactic especially won’t work if you are getting a hair follicle test.
However, being dehydrated can raise THC concentrations in the body. Ensure you drink plenty of water in the days and weeks before your hair test.
Get Some Exercise
Avoid exercising right before a weed drug test, especially if you are getting a blood test or have a higher BMI.
A small, older study found that exercising right before a drug test increased levels of THC in the bloodstream. This effect was even more pronounced in people with higher body fat composition.
Use Macujo
So you don’t want to bleach your hair, and exercise and water are not enough to help you pass. What now? The best way to pass a hair follicle test for any drug is to use Macujo.
Our products can help you identify weed in your hair and get it out fast. The trusted Mike Macujo Method has helped people just like you cleanse their hair of weed and pass.
Macujo: The Best Way to Pass a Hair Drug Test
So, how long does weed stay in a hair follicle? The answer is that it depends. But on average, weed will stay in your hair for around 90 days.
Are you searching for the secret to passing a hair drug test for weed? The Macujo Method is tried-and-true, with many happy customers who can attest to its benefits. Shop our hair cleansing products today, and finally stop worrying about passing your hair follicle drug test!
