Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol use. By capturing biomarkers in the strands of growing hair, it offers a long-term overview of substance use. When collected near the scalp, hair testing can deliver a detection window of up to three months for alcohol and drugs. It's easy to gather, tough to tamper with, and convenient to ship.
A 1.5-inch segment of about 200 hair strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and anything beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. We advise measuring the hair sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't an option, the same quantity of body hair can be taken. When we mention head hair, we refer specifically to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result encompasses four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory’s records. This step includes ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and delivered, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplemental data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for drug abuse. Although it’s a cost-efficient way to exclude drug use in many samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for legal acceptance. Samples with a presumptive positive in Screening need a subsequent confirmation.
If a sample shows a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methodologies to execute.
Any positive screening result undergoes Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before Confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are cleaned as needed. The entire laboratory procedure from Accessioning through to Confirmation is audited under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation while also adhering to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test analyzes the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Emington, IL reveals several advantages.
Extended Detection Window in Emington, IL is a defining feature of hair follicle tests.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Emington, IL offers significant security against contamination.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Emington, IL promote ease of use.
Simple, Confidential Process in Emington, IL emphasizes privacy and convenience.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Emington, IL remain cornerstones of our service model.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Emington, IL underscore the superior capability of hair follicle drug tests.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Emington, IL focuses on regulations adherence.