Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Utilizing hair testing has become recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands contain a prolonged record of alcohol and drug use by encasing biomarkers within the fibers as the hair grows. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer approximately a 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to obtain, relatively challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch section of roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) located nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the ideal sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or assessments exceeding 10 panels, a specimen weighing 150mg is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be used. When discussing head hair, we mean scalp hair solely. Body hair encompasses all other types of hair (such as facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result comprises four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the initial incorporation of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This process includes verifying the sample’s proper sealing and shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves a preliminary rapid examination for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient approach for ruling out drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be valid in legal contexts. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening require a subsequent confirmation.
If a sample tests presumptively positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction stage. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples are washed before confirmation if necessary. The comprehensive laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the examination focuses on the hair strand and not the hair follicle beneath the scalp
Hair follicle testing in Radom, IL, shows clear advantages over urine tests.
For employers in Radom, IL, the extended detection window of hair follicle tests is invaluable. These tests can identify drug and alcohol use for up to 90 days prior.
Hair follicle testing markedly reduces tamper risks in Radom, IL.
Convenience is key with our extensive network of testing sites nationwide, including Radom, IL.
The hair follicle testing process in Radom, IL, prioritizes simplicity and confidentiality.
Our pricing in Radom, IL, is competitive while providing excellent service and quick results.
In Radom, IL, the precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests ensure fast and reliable results. With their high accuracy, these tests are capable of detecting a wide range of substances.
Employers gain peace of mind from hair testing in Radom, IL.
