Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for uncovering alcohol and drug usage. By integrating biomarkers into the fibers of emerging hair strands, hair delivers an extended history of alcohol and drugs. When taken from the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 3-month timeframe of substance consumption. Hair sampling is easy to perform, hard to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.
A hair segment of 1.5 inches with roughly 200 strands (analogous to the width of a #2 pencil) near the scalp will gather 100mg, the optimal amount for assessment and validation. For EtG, add-ons, or evaluations exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. Utilizing a jeweler's scale for measurement is recommended. If scalp hair is not accessible, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, it strictly implies scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other kinds (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The drug testing laboratory procedure comprises four essential phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the primary stage of incorporating a sample into the laboratory's system. This process involves examining the proper sealing and transport of the sample, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening is a preliminary assessment for drug substances. Although Screening is an economical approach to eliminate drug presence in most samples, a positive result from the screen needs further confirmation for courtroom acceptance. Any samples that appear positive during Screening will necessitate a secondary validation.
When a sample tests positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are isolated from hair in concentrations substantially lower than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair-based drug screening tests.
Verification of any positive screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All potentially positive specimens undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes evaluation under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair category and conforms to ISO / IEC 17025 certifications.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently called "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis focuses on the hair strand and does not involve the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Mountain Center, CA, outshines urine testing with superior detection accuracy and reliability. The benefits are especially clear when comparing detection windows and resistance to tampering.
Hair testing in Mountain Center, CA, offers an extended detection window of up to 90 days, giving employers a thorough view of substance use history, far beyond standard tests.
Hair follicle tests in Mountain Center, CA, significantly minimize the risk of tampering. This secure method ensures reliable, unquestionable results you can trust.
With convenient testing centers nationwide, including in Mountain Center, CA, access to drug testing services is quick and hassle-free.
The process in Mountain Center, CA, is straightforward and confidential, from ordering to receiving results, ensuring privacy and ease of use.
Mountain Center, CA, benefits from competitive pricing and quick results, offering excellent value and peace of mind for businesses.
In Mountain Center, CA, hair follicle drug tests deliver swift, precise, and dependable results. Their high accuracy and speed in detecting substance use make them a preferred choice.
Hair testing in Mountain Center, CA, enhances employer peace of mind by ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies, reducing legal risks, and boosting safety.
