Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as a formidable technique for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of drug and alcohol usage by embedding biomarkers in the strands of the hair as it grows. When samples are taken near the scalp, they can reveal drug and alcohol use for up to roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, not easily tampered with, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch portion consisting of around 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for screening and confirmation. For analyzing EtG, additional tests, and/or those over 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. Use a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen accurately. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair may be taken. Head hair pertains exclusively to scalp hair, while body hair covers all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key stages in the laboratory procedure for processing a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into the lab’s system, ensuring the sample was sealed and transported correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not captured by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for substances of abuse. Screening is a budget-friendly method to eliminate drug use in most samples; however, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples that are preliminarily positive in Screening require further confirmation.
If a sample tests preliminarily positive during the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to administer.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptively positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as needed. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and conforms to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually tests the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
When comparing hair follicle testing to urine testing in Marine, IL, the advantages are clear. Enhanced detection accuracy and superior reliability set hair testing apart.
In Marine, IL, hair follicle testing excels with its extended detection window, capable of tracking substance use for up to 90 days.
Hair follicle testing in Marine, IL, is designed to significantly lower the odds of sample tampering, ensuring the results are reliable and unquestionable.
Accessing hair follicle drug testing in Marine, IL is made easy with our convenient nationwide testing centers.
Our hair follicle testing process in Marine, IL is simple and confidential, addressing personal privacy concerns.
Hair follicle testing in Marine, IL offers affordable pricing and rapid turnaround, making it a cost-effective solution.
The hair follicle drug tests in Marine, IL, deliver fast, precise, and trustworthy outcomes. Speed and precision are at the core of our testing services, providing high accuracy in identifying substance use.
Through hair follicle testing, employers in Marine, IL can maintain compliance and peace of mind with workplace drug-free initiatives.
