Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair encapsulates a prolonged record of substance use by capturing biomarkers in the fibers of the emerging hair strand. When acquired near the scalp, hair can reveal up to almost a 3-month detection window for alcohol and illicit substances. Hair is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch section of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for analysis and confirmation. For EtG, additional options, and/or examinations exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is suggested to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is nonexistent, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be utilized. By head hair, we mean scalp hair specifically. Body hair pertains to all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the preliminary process of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This includes ensuring the sample was sealed and transported correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails an initial rapid examination for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a budget-friendly method to dismiss drug usage for most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be admissible in court. Any samples that appear positive in Screening demand a secondary confirmation.
If a sample is deemed presumptively positive during the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration than in other procedures (ex. urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is the most challenging methodology to conduct.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently labeled as "hair follicle tests", the test itself examines the hair strand and not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Gifford, IA Hair tests provide unmatched advantages compared to urine tests:
Extended Detection Window in Gifford, IA Hair follicle tests capture a comprehensive drug history up to 90 days prior.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Gifford, IA Hair tests substantially cut down the potential for sample tampering.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations in Gifford, IA Our extensive network guarantees simple and rapid testing access.
Simple, Confidential Process in Gifford, IA Our seamless process prioritizes confidentiality and ease of use.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Gifford, IA Competitive pricing paired with swift results ensures value.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Gifford, IA Hair follicle testing exemplifies speed and precision unparalleled by other methods.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Gifford, IA Adopting hair testing ensures strict adherence to drug-free workplace regulations.
