Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as an effective means to uncover both drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged history of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the growing strand's fibers. When collected near the scalp, it offers a detection span of nearly three months for alcohol and other substances. This sampling method is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for transport.
A specimen consisting of a 1.5-inch cut of approximately 200 hairs (roughly the girth of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg, the preferred amount for both screening and verification. For EtG, extensions, and tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advisable. It is recommended to utilize a jeweler's scale for precise weighing. Should scalp hair not be available, an equivalent volume of body hair is acceptable. In reference to head hair, this pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair denotes other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The lab analysis of a drug test follows four pivotal stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Verification.
Accessioning entails the initial incorporation of a sample into the lab's system. This phase verifies the sample's proper sealing and transport, generates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data processing absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.
Screening executes a preliminary scan for substance misuse. Although Screening serves as an economical measure to exclude drug use in most samples, any positive outcome necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Presumptively positive samples in Screening need further confirmation.
In cases of presumptive positivity during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for Extraction. During this process, substances are retrieved from hair at significantly lower densities than alternative methodologies (such as urine or oral fluid testing), underscoring why hair drug analysis remains a complex procedure.
Verification of any positive results in Screening is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methodologies. Presumptive positive specimens undergo washing prior to Verification as required. The comprehensive lab sequence from Accessioning to Verification is examined through both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Benefits of Hair Analysis for Drugs:
Drawbacks:
Note: Although colloquially termed as "hair follicle analyses", the examination focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Bexar, AL
Employers, courts, and probation officers are increasingly adopting hair testing for its proven accuracy and reliability.
Extended Detection Window in Bexar, AL
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