Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as a robust method for identifying substance use, including drugs and alcohol. This methodology uses hair to offer a prolonged history of substance intake by capturing biomarkers within the hair's growing fibers. When collected near the scalp, hair can extend detection for drugs and alcohol up to roughly three months. It is easy to gather, somewhat resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches comprising approximately 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) taken nearest the scalp can yield around 100mg of hair, an ideal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, larger panels, or extensive tests above 10 panels, it’s advisable to collect 150mg of the material. We recommend employing a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing. In cases where scalp hair isn’t available, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be obtained. By head hair, we mean solely the hair on the scalp, while body hair encompasses other types including facial and axillary hair.
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure for deriving a drug test result encompasses four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the sample’s initial integration into a lab’s tracking system. This involves ensuring the sample is sealed and dispatched correctly, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and adding any missing data that wasn’t submitted via an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening features a preliminary evaluation for substance abuse. Though cost-effective for ruling out drug use in most instances, any positive finding in screening necessitates verification to be deemed valid in legal situations. Samples showing presumptive positive results at the screening phase demand a secondary validation.
Should a sample be identified as presumptively positive during screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at lower concentrations than other methods like urine or saliva testing, thus making hair drug analysis the most challenging to conduct.
Confirmation of any positive screening is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before confirmation, all presumptively positive samples undergo necessary cleansing. The complete laboratory progression from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated in line with CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation as well as ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.
Benefits of hair drug testing:
Drawbacks:
Note: Commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests," the test actually examines the hair strand, not the scalp-embedded follicle
When weighing hair follicle testing against urine testing in Edgewood, IN, hair tests offer notable advantages.
Employers in Edgewood, IN value hair follicle testing due to its extended detection span.
Hair tests provide insights into an individual's substance use over approximately 90 days. This extensive window aids companies in making informed decisions based on comprehensive data. Such robust detection supports employers in maintaining a drug-free workplace efficiently.
In Edgewood, IN, hair follicle testing offers a secure solution to tampering worries.
Edgewood, IN residents benefit from the convenience of our nationwide testing centers.
In Edgewood, IN, the hair follicle testing process is simple yet utterly confidential.
For businesses in Edgewood, IN, our hair follicle tests offer competitive pricing alongside rapid results.
In Edgewood, IN, the efficiency and accuracy of hair follicle drug tests stand out. These tests are not only rapid but precise, offering reliable results.
Hair follicle testing can spot substance use effectively, offering clear outcomes that businesses can trust. Beyond speed, it provides assurance that detected substances are accurately reported, making them a preferred choice for many institutions.
For Edgewood, IN employers, hair follicle testing delivers peace of mind and policy compliance.