Hair Shampoo for Drug Detox
Have a hair drug test coming up? You may have heard that passing a hair follicle drug test is a lot harder than passing a urine test. Many rumours are circulating when it comes to drug testing. It can be hard to tell facts from talks. However, what you’ve heard is, in fact, true. The drug metabolites in your hair make it harder to test negative on a hair follicle drug test. To pass, you may need to rely on more sophisticated methods, using detox cleansers that you can get from your local novelty store. If you need info on how to pass another type of drug test, (e.g, urine drug test) surf our site and you will definitely find what you need.
Before you go out and grab a detox shampoo, you should be aware that using a product to try to beat a drug test is illegal in some states and jurisdictions. As a disclaimer, LeafExpert is not recommending that you try to beat a drug test in any jurisdiction where it is illegal. Rather, we are merely describing techniques people have used and the possible results. You should be aware that in the US, it is against the law to try to defraud the United States government, therefore using a product or method for beating drug tests for federal court-mandated purposes is a federal crime. You can see items, that we are going to talk about, Zydot Ultra Clean and Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid.
 | Our #1 Choice Aloe Toxin Rid Shampoo + Zydot Ultra Clean |
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 | Zydot Ultra Clean Shampoo |
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Hair Follicle Drug Test – How It Works
As FMA Health, when getting a hair drug test, the first thing testers will do is cut a hair sample from your head. Typically, they will only need 1.5 inches starting from the follicles right next to your scalp. The term “hair follicle drug test” is kind of a misnomer. Your follicle itself isn’t the one tested as it’s simply a tiny pore. The test sample material consists of the 1.5-inch hair shaft from your scalp. With your hair sample, the test can reveal your drug use in the past three months.
Hair drug tests are conducted either on-site or at a lab (think Labcorp). A trained technician will remove exactly an inch and a half of hair from your head. If you don’t have hair on your head or if it is too short, the technicians may take samples from other hair growth, like your armpit. If there is no hair there, they can go for a beard hair or a pubic hair (in cases like those in the court system, they will invade your privacy under the assumption that you are a criminal but they are not likely to go this far for an employment drug test; however, if you have no available hair, you may be disqualified, so shaving off all of your hair is not an effective method). Hair grows at a rate of at least 0.5 inches per month, so 1.5 inches contain a 3 month or 90 day history of drug use. This is the longest window of any drug testing method. The hair even further away from the scalp may contain even older drug residues but it is not standard practice and is sometimes expressly forbidden to test hair further than the typical 1.5 inches starting from the scalp.
The hair sample will be taken into the lab. It will be put into a solvent that will dissolve the drug residues found on the hair sample. Methanol may be used, which is a form of alcohol which is mildly poisonous to humans. Some deep thinkers have claimed to have used methanol to eliminate drug residues from the hair before testing. This is inadvisable as it may absorb through the skin and poison the user or cause skin irritation. Also, one study showed methanol only removed drug residues which were added to the hair from the outside, not those deposited through the blood or sweat.[[1] Instead, people have used other acids, bases, and proteases to remove the hair drug residues. We will discuss these shortly.
Once dissolved the mixture is tested using antibodies and confirmed using mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. This can take a few days.
Hair follicle drug tests are more expensive and are not used as often as urine tests. They are more likely to be used if a longer drug history is needed. They may be used in determining employment for law enforcement agencies. Such agencies sometimes only do drug testing during the initial employment screening. Many police agencies do not regularly test officers.
What Drugs Does Testing Uncover?
A hair drug test can smoothly detect all of your major types of illicit drugs. Some tests may even look for nicotine and alcohol. Very specific tests may look for synthetic cannabinoids. Hair tests for the herb kratom have recently been developed but are not yet likely widely employed.[2]
Drug residues won’t be detectable in the hair until after seven days have passed, after which it can be detectable for up to three months. Even though that is the case, you should avoid drug use of any kind before the test as hair can be contaminated from the outside or from your sweat.
Is it Possible to Cleanse Hair for a Drug Test?
According to our research, you can theoretically beat a hair follicle drug test. In addition, those that have tried hair detox methods claimed online that they have successfully beaten their hair drug tests, allowing them to land the job of their dreams or at least keep their bodily privacy from being violated. For you to win a drug test, the drug metabolites in your hair must be below cut-off values. A tiny amount of drugs can still get into the hair through external contamination, such as exposure to secondhand smoke. Luckily for you, if your friends smoke up the house and it gets in your hair, it doesn’t count. It should be below the cut off unless you’re in limo with Snoop Dogg.
Anything capable of taking the drugs from your hair could also land you below the detection threshold. A study titled “Effect of the shampoo Ultra Clean on drug concentrations in human hair” was published in the International Journal of Legal Medicine (1997). The study involves testing the hair of cadavers (dead bodies) of drug users. They measured drug levels in the hair before washing them with Ultra Clean detox shampoo. The results were significant percentage losses in drug residues, i.e., “cocaine (-5%), 6-MAM (-9%), morphine (-26%), and THC (-36%).”[3] As you can see, there was a 36 % reduction in THC residues. However, some will have to employ Jerry G or the Majuco procedure to bring levels below the threshold even with that reduction.
A study published in 1997 in the Journal of Legal Medicine examined the consequences of treating hair cosmetically regarding the ability of hair tests to discover drugs. This study found that those who applied bleach and dye on their hair had dramatic decreases in detectable drug levels. “40% – 60% reduction on cocaine, benzoylecgonine, codeine, 6-acetyl morphine, and THC-COOH.” For morphine, the mean difference went over 60%, and two cases (THC and nicotine) differed by approximately 30%.”[[4] Cosmetic treatment reduced detectable drug metabolites directly proportional to the extent of sustained hair damage. So expect to fry the hair especially if you have a lot of drugs to get out of it. And remember, it’s the first 1.5 inches of hair from the scalp that will be tested so aim your efforts at this hair and you can leave the rest of the hair relatively undamaged. In 2019, a study was published in Drug Test and Analysis comparing detox shampoos. They looked at the following:
- Folli-Cleanse High Voltage
- Kleen Deep Detox Shampoo
- Test Pass Detox Shampoo
- Ultra Cleanse Shampoo
They compared each shampoo with deionized water. 3 of them didn’t fare well compared to using water to drug residues. One test stood out, displaying a “decrease of 73% ± 12% as compared with non-incubated hair following 8 hours.”[5] High Voltage Folli-Cleanse took the win. However, when using it, you’ll need your hair incubated while lathered with the shampoo for at least 2.5 hours. If you choose to get this product, look out for copycats as many products have similar names. In this study, it helped beat a test for a metabolite of alcohol, but we can assume it may do the same for other drugs.
In the Annals of Analytical Toxicology in 2005, a study was published that looked at cosmetic treatments which included peroxide or ammonia, typically used to dye hair. Peroxide is also a known oxidizer that could alter the structure of drugs such that they are rendered undetectable due to no longer having the chemical properties of the metabolite being studied. Benzodiazepines are susceptible to being destroyed by peroxide. This study noted that these cosmetic treatments do indeed reduce drug metabolites. The study also verified that Ultra Clean can help remove drug metabolites. These shampoos alone may not remove enough drug metabolites to pass a test. They should be used with methods like the Macujo or Jerry G, or used in the same way as used in the studies, which sometimes involves incubating the hair in the shampoo for up to 2.5 hours.
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology looked at African American and dark hair types that contain a high amount of melanin. Melanin harbor drug metabolites. They used hair straighteners with and without lye to see what is the effect on the drug metabolites in the hair. They found the following: “only 5–30% of the original concentration remained in authentic drug hairs that had formerly tested positive for COC, BZE, and CE.” Straightening dark hair using a perm, even without lye, then washing it with a detox shampoo like Folli-Cleanse can significantly increase your chances of passing your hair drug test. There is a catch, though. You will have to reach down to the first 1.5 inches, so take care not to get chemical burns on your scalp. Some perms include a scalp protectant like petroleum jelly.
The Jerry G Method (Highest Rating): Using Bleach to Pass a Hair Follicle Test
Next info given by FMAHealth. The term “hair follicle drug test” can be misleading. The follicle is the pore that produces the hair, it is not tested. The sample that is tested is the hair itself, particularly the first 1.5 inches outside the pore, the hair shaft.
The Jerry G. Method can be easily summarized. Get two bleach and dye kits which are your natural hair color. Use them 10 days apart just before your test. Therefore you need 10 or 11 days. We will describe the method here. Due to our research, we have substituted the High Voltage Folli-Cleanse for the Toxin Rid because it is overpriced and has no studies showing that it works.
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Steps.
- Do not consume any drugs ten days prior to your drug test. If you are currently prescribed to a drug, consult your doctor about stopping its use or, at least, use the prescription as an excuse. Check with your employer to see if they will validate the excuse. Certain jobs such as truck driving doesn’t allow drivers with drug prescriptions to avoid effects like drowsiness while on the road.
- On day one, apply your first kits of bleach and dye. Ensure that you use them especially on the 1.5 inches of hair starting from the scalp.
- Shampoo with Folli-Cleanse by High Voltage.
- Wait your eight days. On the ninth day which is the day before the test, again bleach and dye your hair. Take out the High Voltage Folli-Cleanse and shampoo it thoroughly.
- On test day make a paste with water and baking soda. Put it in your hair. Leave it in for 5 minutes, before shampooing with Zydot Ultra Clean. There’s a very high likelihood of passing a test after this regimen according to the studies and social media accounts of using this method. After you use a new method, make sure to use new and clean combs and brushes to avoid re-contaminating your hair, or at the very least, clean your hair instruments really well. Don’t wear old hats or hair accessories that may be contaminated with drug residues.
The Macujo Method
We are going to describe here how people have used the following method to pass a hair drug test with only a day’s notice. We do not recommend any approach. This particular approach could result in chemicals searing your scalp. We would say that the alternative Jerry G. Method is more proven and has more scientific backing. It is also safer since most people have used hair dye before and can consult the package insert for safety precautions. Whereas, with the Macujo Method, there are questionable ingredients, used not as directed by the manufacturer.
| Our #1 Choice Aloe Toxin Rid Shampoo + Zydot Ultra Clean |
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| Zydot Ultra Clean Shampoo |
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Equipment
- Warm water
- Towel
- Sink
- Acne wash, preferrably Pink Clean and Clear
- Gloves (disposable)
- Goggles for eye protection
- Pack of liquid detergent (ideally Tide) or Passion Indulge’s Papain Shampoo
- Pink Clean and Clear acne wash
- Shower or bathing caps
- High Voltage Folli-Cleanse Detox
- Ultra Clean Shampoo by Zydot
- Vinegar
- New combs and hair instruments (without old hair contaminants)
Steps
- Get the vinegar down inside the roots. This is supposed to tear open your hair cuticle.
- Apply the acne wash (Pink Clean and Clear). Leave them both in for 30 minutes. This is gonna break up the oils (acne wash), and break open the cuticle.
- Lather the High Voltage Folli-Cleanse throughout your hair. Rinse well. Remember don’t use your old combs and caps, they may be contaminated.
- Thoroughly wash out everything then shampoo using either an Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid or High Voltage detox shampoo. Rinse thoroughly.
- Shampoo with a dab of Tide detergent. Tide has proteases that destroy proteins. You can also substitute Passion Indulge Papain shampoo as it also incorporates proteases.
- Now is the time to apply your Ultra Clean Shampoo.
- Users claim they repeat this process 3 times on the day of the test.
Best Detox Shampoos for Removing Hair Drug Residues
Here is a list of the best products that you can buy to detox and remove drug residues from your hair:
- How to use each
- Main ingredients
- Benefits and Downsides
Zydot Ultra Clean
Rated 5 out of 5, A+
- The no.1 detox shampoo for dealing with THC and other drugs
- One of the most acclaimed shampoos for hair detox
- Pros: All drug tests resulted in significant reductions in THC metabolites, as high as 36%
- Cons: You’ll need to use a method like the Jerry G. for it to be 100% effective
Main ingredients:
- Triethylamine: Our sources indicates that: “The pKa of protonated triethylamine is 10.75.”[6] This means it is alkaline, a substance that is effective in reducing drug metabolites.
- Stearyl alcohol: this may act as a solvent. As a test, they use a solvent to separate drug residues from the hair, so it is known that solvents can do this.
- How to use: You can use it to complement the effectiveness of the Macujo or Jerry G methods.
These are the full ingredients:
Sodium laureth sulfate, aloe vera, cocamido-propyl betaine, cocamid DEA, sodium PCA, tetrasodium EDTA, panthenol, citric acid,sodium thiosulfate, methylparaben, DMDMhydantoin, sodium chloride, fragrance, coloringPurifier (tube 2)Aloe vera, propylene glycol, EDTA, potas-sium sorbate, methylparaben, carbomer-940, triethanolamine, coloring, Conditioner, Aloe vera, geranium maculatum, comfrey, (tube 3)grapefruit juice, hydrolized animal protein, N-octadecanol, cetyl trimethyl ammoniumbromide, N-hexadecyl alcohol, methyl-paraben, propylparaben, fragrance, coloring)
High voltage Folli-Cleanse detox shampoo,
Rating: 5 out of 5, A+
Main benefit: In studies it reduced EtG (alcohol metabolite) enough to pass a test (at least after a 2.5 hour-session of soaking the hair in the shampoo)
Main drawback: It did not reduce FAEE (fatty acid ethyl esters), also used as an alcohol test measurment. This might indicate it will not remove all types of drugs.
- Important ingredients: A fairly rare paper by a graduate student of Ghent University was published. It claims that, “The alkaline triethylamine seemed to be primarily responsible for the substantial reduction in the EtG concentration in hair whereas the acidity of citric acid reduced the recovery of EtG within the sample preparation and experimental setup and thus disabled an accurate quantification of EtG. (Bekaert)”[7] This means it is expected a highly alkaline substance may reduce drug metabolites. This is also why baking soda is employed when going throught the Jerry G. Method.
Main ingredient:
“TEOA, also known as triethanolamine is a decently strong base: a 1% solution has a pH of approximately 10.”[8]
Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid and Nexxus Aloe Rid Shampoo
Rated 4 out of 5, B
- Very well known.
Someone’s marketing savvy made this shampoo very popular. Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid is one of the top items in this market. It’s now sold for as much as $235 for a bottle. Developed by Nexxus, this shampoo aims to detoxify heavy metals from your hair. Drug consumers began to use it under various schemes, particularly the Majuco, to pass their hair drug tests. Nexxus, however, discontinued its manufacture for reasons unknown. The ensuing demand resulted in people selling bottles online for as much as $300 just for a single 5-ounce application. Now, it is being sold by testclear.com, selling for somewhere around $ 200 to $ 235. It has no studies to back up it’s ability to eliminate drug substances from the hair unlike the first two shampoos.
Ingredients:
FD&C Yellow #5 FD&C Blue #1, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Proteins, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Isopropyl Myristate, Methylisothiazolinone, Octinoxate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate,Polysorbate-20, Propylene Glycol, Serenoa Serrulata (Saw Palmetto) Extract, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Thioctic (a-Liproic) Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) Aloe Barbadensis Leave (Aloe Vera Gel) Juice, Aqua (Deionized Water), arfum (Fragrance), Biotin, Ceramide-III, Cocamide DEA, Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, di-Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Oleamido MEA SulfoSuccinate
Main ingredients: Some have said the main ingredient that detoxifies hair is EDTA, a chemical known to chelate metals. Others have said it is propylene glycol which can work as a solvent. Detoxers use this shampoo with either of the methods discussed above. It may make some sense to let hair sit in the shampoo for a period of time.
Pro: contains propylene glycol which may act as a solvent to dissolve drug molecules.
Con: It’s staggeringly overpriced for a mere pack of shampoo.
Omni Cleansing Shampoo
Rated 4.5 out of 5, A
INGREDIENTS: Aluminum Lake.Blue No.1, Cocamidepropyl Betaime, ED&C Yelllow No. 5, and Fragrance, Lauamide DEA, Methyl Paraben, Purified Water, Sodium Chloride,Sulfanate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Trienthanolamine
This shampoo may work by using triethanolamine as a strong base.
Pro: It is widely available and at $ 20, not overly expensive.
Cons: We have not found studies testing its effectiveness.
All Clear Detox Shampoo, not yet rated
Pros: This shampoo may work via masking, unlike the other shampoos. You have to work it into the hair over 3 minutes with the entire bottle. Rinse it out then use the Purifying gel for at least 15 minutes. Wash it out again but you can leave some behind if desired. This will supposedly mask drug metabolites in hair for 5 hours after use so be sure to time it correctly.
Cons: No science we have discovered suggests this will work.
Social media reviews
Omni Cleansing Shampoo for passing a hair follicle drug test
It received a 5 star rating from about 41 % of reviewers.
Clear Choice Hair Follicle Shampoo, unrated by us
Ingredients (shampoo): Methylisothiazolinone, Methychoroisothiazolinone, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Citric Acid, Blue #1, Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Purifier, Water, Vitamin E, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol USP, Potassium Sorbate, Methyl Paraben, FD&C Red Dye #40, Carbomer940
Active constituents: Propylene glycol is a solvent that may help dissolve drug residues. Triethanolamine may work as a strong base to neutralize drug remnats. EDTA, a metal chelator is included in most shampoos that can expel some unwanted substances from the hair.
Pros: It has 3 ingredients said to help detoxify hair.
Cons: We have not found studies on this shampoo.
Instructions:
- Wet hair, work the entire bottle into your hair over 5 minutes.
- Rinse your hair.
- Work in the purifier, leaving it there for 15 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly and towel dry.
The 1-fluid-oz. Magnum Detox Purifying shampoo does not appear to get good ratings, nor is there a lot of information about it online.
The average rater did not have faith in this product.
Stat detox shampoo, unrated by us
It contains one solvent, phenoxyethanol. A solvent can break down drug residues. It contains EDTA, a metal chelator.
Ratings are subpar, but it is at least a relatively inexpensive product.
Dr. Greens Wash Away Shampoo, no available ratings
Dr. Greens Wash Away is a shampoo which may aim to mask or clear out drug residues. Instructions require you to apply all the way to your roots for more than 10 minutes. After applying, you’ll have to leave it in under a shower cap for another 30 minutes. Wash it out and it claims to be effective for up to 8 hours.
Conclusion
The best option for testing clean for weed and drugs of abuse is to use either (or both) Zydot’s Ultra Clean and High Voltage Folli-Cleanse shampoos with the Jerry G Bleach and Dye method. These are all scientifically-backed ways for reducing hair drug metabolites. If one is African-American or have dark pigmented hair, a perm has been shown to work as well. Also, if you are ready to pay a bit more for better quality, Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid is for you. If you have not found the needed info, e.g, about Good luck and stay safe.
References
[1] “Technique Improves Use of Hair for Drug Tests | The Scientist ….” 15 May. 2019, https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/technique-improves-use-of-hair-for-drug-tests-65875. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[2] “Kratom Drug Testing in Hair and Nail – Exclusively at USDTL ….” 3 Aug. 2020, https://www.usdtl.com/about/press-releases/kratom-drug-testing-in-hair-and-nail-exclusively-at-usdtl. Accessed 27 Oct. 2020.
[3] “Effect of the shampoo Ultra Clean on drug concentrations in ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10741485/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[4] “Influence of the cosmetic treatment of hair on drug testing.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9228567/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[5] “Detox shampoos for EtG and FAEE in hair – Results from in ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30659779/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[6] “Triethylamine – Wikipedia.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triethylamine. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[7] “DETOX SHAMPOOS FOR ETHYL GLUCURONIDE IN HAIR ….” https://www.readkong.com/page/detox-shampoos-for-ethyl-glucuronide-in-hair-more-than-8522309. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[8] “Ethanolamine – Wikipedia.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanolamine. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[9] “All Clear Hair Purifying @ Cleansing System – Amazon.com.” https://www.amazon.com/All-Clear-Purifying-Cleansing-System/product-reviews/B00WVQ4228?reviewerType=all_reviews. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
[10] “Magnum Detox Hair Purifying Shampoo : Beauty – Amazon.com.” https://www.amazon.com/Magnum-Detox-Hair-Purifying-Shampoo/dp/B00WXF888Q. Accessed 28 Aug. 2020.
