Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for uncovering both drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged record of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the threadlike structure as it grows. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer up to a three-month timeframe for detecting drugs and alcohol. Collection is straightforward, tampering is somewhat challenging, and shipping is hassle-free.
A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches, comprising around 200 strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the preferred quantity for initial screening and confirmation. For EtG, supplementary tests, or panels exceeding 10 types, a specimen weighing 150mg is advised. It's best to measure the sample using a jeweler's scale. In cases where scalp hair isn't accessible, an equivalent volume of body hair can be utilized. Scalp hair strictly refers to head hair only, while body hair includes other types (such as facial or axillary hair).
Process Overview
The laboratory drug test processing includes four core stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails integrating a sample into a lab's system, ensuring the sample's integrity during shipping, assigning it a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and filling in any missing data not captured via an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides a preliminary evaluation for drug presence. Though Screening is cost-efficient and effective for ruling out drug use in most samples, any positive findings must undergo Confirmation to be legally acceptable. Samples flagged as presumptively positive require further confirmation.
If a sample is flagged positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction process. In this phase, drug extraction from hair occurs at lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or saliva), making hair testing a complex procedure.
Confirmation for any samples with positive screening results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Samples identified as positive are cleansed before Confirmation if needed. The entire lab workflow, from Accessioning to Confirmation, complies with both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests," these actually examine the hair strands, not the follicles beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Extended Detection Window in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Simple, Confidential Process in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Neosho Rapids, KS:
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Neosho Rapids, KS: