Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is now recognized as an effective method for identifying the use of drugs and alcohol. Hair offers an extended record of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, this can reveal drug and alcohol usage over a period of up to three months. Collecting hair is easy, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hairs (similar in size to a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg, which is ideal for screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding ten, 150mg is suggested. It's advisable to weigh samples on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, the same quantity of body hair can be used. Head hair pertains exclusively to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test consists of four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
During Accessioning, a sample undergoes initial processing into the lab’s system, ensuring it was sealed and transported correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides an initial assessment for substances of abuse. It serves as a cost-effective measure to exclude drugs in most samples; however, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that are presumptively positive require a secondary confirmation process.
Should a sample be presumptively positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepped for Extraction. In this procedure, drugs are isolated from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging to conduct.
Confirmation of positive screenings is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples indicated as presumptively positive are cleaned before confirmation when necessary. The entirety of the lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under both 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 examination actually analyzes the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Oreana, IL, hair follicle testing excels over traditional urine tests. It boasts superior accuracy, ensuring reliability in substance detection.
Hair testing provides a comprehensive overview, making it a preferable choice over urine tests. Accuracy and dependability mark its superiority.
In Oreana, IL, hair follicle tests offer a long detection window, up to 90 days, crucial for employers assessing substance use history.
This extended period gives a thorough view of an individual’s drug use, surpassing shorter-term tests like urine.
Oreana, IL, benefits from the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests, ensuring unbeatable reliability in drug testing.
The method significantly reduces adulteration, providing solid and unassailable results.
Oreana, IL, residents enjoy the convenience of widespread testing centers for quick, hassle-free access to drug testing services.
Our nationwide locations ensure easy accessibility, facilitating straightforward and efficient testing processes for everyone.
In Oreana, IL, the hair follicle testing process is simple and confidential, easing concerns about privacy.
Orders, tests, and results are handled discreetly, ensuring a seamless experience for all involved.
Oreana, IL, benefits from competitive pricing and swift turnaround times offered by hair follicle testing services.
These economically attractive options ensure peace of mind, catering to companies of varying sizes.
In Oreana, IL, hair follicle drug tests offer rapid, precise, and trustworthy outcomes. Their ability to accurately detect substances is unmatched, providing peace of mind.
With its high accuracy, hair follicle testing efficiently determines recent and distant drug use, ensuring reliable results.
Employers in Oreana, IL, gain compliance and reassurance through hair follicle testing, aligning with drug-free policies.
This testing method minimizes legal risks and enhances workplace safety, vital for maintaining a secure environment.