Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Considered a formidable technique, hair testing is effective for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair stores a prolonged history of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers within its growing strands. When taken near the scalp, the hair offers a detection period of up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. The hair collection process is straightforward, relatively tough to tamper with, and convenient for transportation.
Providing 100mg of hair, a 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp is ideal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, extensions, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, a specimen weighing 150mg is suggested. It’s advisable to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing the specimen. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be obtained. Reference to head hair pertains solely to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types of hair (facial, axillary, and others).
Process Overview
There are four key stages in the lab processing of drug test results: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial phase of integrating a sample into a lab's system, which involves checking the proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any further data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial drug abuse assessment. Although a cost-efficient approach to exclude drug use for most samples, a positive result in Screening requires validation to be legally accepted. Samples showing presumptive positive results in Screening demand subsequent confirmation.
For samples that are presumptive positive in Screening, further hair is extracted from the primary specimen for Preparation in the Extraction stage. Here, drugs are obtained from hair at significantly lower levels compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring why hair drug screening is notably challenging.
Confirmation for any positive Screening outcomes is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation where necessary. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation complies under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and is accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why does hair follicle testing outshine urine testing in Coeur d'Alene, ID? The superior detection accuracy and reliability of hair tests are clear advantages.
In Coeur d'Alene, ID, hair follicle testing allows for a comprehensive view of an individual's drug use history, detecting substances over an extended period, up to 90 days.
Hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant method for sample collection in Coeur d'Alene, ID, significantly reducing adulteration risks.
With testing centers nationwide, including in Coeur d'Alene, ID, gaining easy and hassle-free access to drug testing services is straightforward.
In Coeur d'Alene, ID, our order, collection, and result-receiving process is simple and confidential, easing privacy concerns.
In Coeur d'Alene, ID, our competitive pricing and fast turnaround on hair follicle tests ensure excellent value for all companies.
In Coeur d'Alene, ID, the precision and swiftness of hair follicle drug tests are unmatched. These tests are highly accurate in identifying substance use, allowing for confident decision-making.
Employers in Coeur d'Alene, ID, gain peace of mind with hair follicle testing, ensuring alignment with drug-free workplace policies and reducing legal risks.
