Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective method for identifying substance and alcohol usage. It provides a long-term record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the hair's growing strands. When gathered near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a three-month history for detecting alcohol and other substances. The collection process is straightforward, the sample is relatively tamper-proof, and it is easy to transport.
A 1.5-inch section of roughly 200 hairs (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) taken nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, which is ideal for both initial screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is preferred. It's advised to measure the specimen using a precision scale. If head hair is unattainable, an equivalent volume of body hair can be used. Head hair refers exclusively to scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key processes in lab analysis of drug test samples include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the preliminary preparation of a sample within a lab's system. This step ensures the sample is properly sealed and transported, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data recording not covered by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening is an initial swift check for substance abuse. Although cost-efficient for eliminating drug use in most samples, a positive result in Screening must be validated to be accepted legally. Any presumptive positive samples during Screening need a further confirmation.
If a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, an additional hair portion is retrieved from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. Here, substances are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations versus other techniques (e.g., urine or oral samples), making hair drug testing a challenging procedure.
Confirmation of positive Screening outcomes is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All samples presumed positive must undergo a cleansing process prior to confirmation. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Benefits of hair drug testing:
Drawbacks:
Note: While often labeled as "hair follicle tests", these tests actually analyze the hair shaft rather than the scalp's hair follicle.
In Ross Valley, CA, hair follicle testing surpasses urine tests by offering superior detection accuracy. Benefits include:
Employers in Ross Valley, CA, benefit from hair follicle testing's ability to detect drug use over extended periods. The comprehensive detection window:
Ross Valley, CA, sees hair follicle testing as a tamper-resistant method for accurate results. Key advantages:
Testing across several locations, including Ross Valley, CA, offers unmatched convenience. Advantages:
In Ross Valley, CA, the hair testing procedure is simple and confidential. Features include:
Offering competitive pricing in Ross Valley, CA, our hair follicle testing provides:
In Ross Valley, CA, the precision of hair follicle drug tests showcases their ability to accurately detect substance use. Their speed and reliability trump traditional methods.
Hair follicle testing provides employers in Ross Valley, CA compliance and peace of mind. Key benefits include:
