Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has gained recognition as a potent method for identifying the consumption of drugs and alcohol. Through capturing biomarkers within the fibers of growing strands, hair offers an extended historical record of alcohol and drug usage. When removed near the scalp, hair can indicate drug and alcohol use for a period of up to about three months. Collecting hair is straightforward, moderately challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch portion containing approximately 200 hairs (around the thickness of a standard pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for analysis and verification. For testing such as EtG, supplementary tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of hair is preferred. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing is advised. If head hair isn’t available, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, we only mean scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other varieties (like facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The four essential stages in processing drug test outcomes in a laboratory include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the first phase involving the incorporation of a sample into a lab’s system. This step verifies that the sample is sealed, shipped correctly, assigns it a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handles any extra data entry not included in an electronic chain of custody framework.
Screening is an initial swift evaluation for drug presence. Although Screening efficiently eliminates drug use in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Samples testing presumptive positive during Screening need additional authentication.
For samples testing presumptive positive at the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the primary sample for further Extraction. This stage extracts substances from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or saliva), making hair drug screening notably challenging to execute.
Confirmation of any screening positives is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Prior to confirmation, all samples with presumptive positives are cleansed as necessary. Every laboratory stage, from Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes scrutiny under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Though often termed "hair follicle tests", these analyses examine the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Winchester, IL, opting for hair follicle testing over urine testing is advantageous. Hair tests offer superior detection accuracy and reliability.
In Winchester, IL, hair follicle testing is a valuable tool for employers to assess drug use over an extended detection window of up to 90 days.
Hair follicle testing in Winchester, IL, offers a tamper-resistant method, minimizing sample adulteration risks.
Enjoy the convenience of nationwide testing locations in Winchester, IL, with Accredited Drug Testing.
The process for hair follicle testing in Winchester, IL, prioritizes simplicity and confidentiality.
Affordable pricing combined with fast turnaround in Winchester, IL, makes hair follicle testing a valuable choice.
A hair follicle drug test in Winchester, IL, offers fast, accurate, and reliable detection of substance use. With precision and rapid results, it surpasses traditional testing methods, efficiently identifying drugs.
Utilizing hair follicle testing in Winchester, IL, ensures compliance and peace of mind for employers by adhering to drug-free workplace policies.