Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a repository for long-term drug and alcohol markers by embedding them within the hair's growing fibers. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeline of up to about 3 months for both alcohol and drugs. The collection of hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches composed of roughly 200 hairs (approximate size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides around 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation tests. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, it’s advised to have 150mg of the sample. It's recommended to weigh the hair on a jeweler’s scale. If hair from the scalp cannot be acquired, a comparable quantity of body hair may be used. References to head hair denote scalp hair specifically, whereas body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure for processing drug test outcomes involves four essential steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the primary handling of a sample within a laboratory’s framework. This step includes ensuring the sample’s seal and shipment are secure, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any further data entries that an electronic chain of custody has not provided.
Screening includes an initial rapid assessment to detect drugs. While Screening provides a cost-efficient approach to dismiss drug usage for most samples, any positive screen must be verified for legal admissibility. Samples that yield presumptive positive results in Screening require follow-up confirmation.
When a sample shows a presumptive positive result during the Screening phase, more hair is drawn from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are retrieved from hair at reduced concentrations compared to other procedures (e.g., urine or saliva), thus making hair drug screening the most complex process.
Verification of any positive screen outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples with presumptive positive results are cleansed before confirmation if needed. The entire lab progression from Accessioning through Confirmation is evaluated under the guidelines of both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis actually examines the hair strand as opposed to the scalp's underlying hair follicle.
Hair follicle testing in Saint Paul, KS, offers a substantial improvement over traditional urine tests. While urine tests are standard, hair tests provide superior detection accuracy and reliability. The lengthy detection window of hair tests is an advantage over urine tests, which have a far shorter detection period.
Hair follicle testing detects drug use up to 90 days prior, giving a broad overview of a person's substance use history. This extended detection window makes it an effective tool in Saint Paul, KS, for employers needing a thorough understanding of an individual's behavior over a longer duration.
In Saint Paul, KS, hair follicle testing stands out for its resistance to tampering. The method ensures that samples cannot be adulterated, offering reliable results every time. This testing approach minimizes the chances of cheating, providing peace of mind with trustworthy outcomes.
With nationwide testing centers, including Saint Paul, KS, accessing hair follicle tests is convenient and straightforward. These locations ensure fast, easy, and stress-free testing services, facilitating immediate access to drug testing when required.
The process for hair follicle testing in Saint Paul, KS, is both simple and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, privacy is maintained throughout, addressing any privacy concerns and ensuring ease of use.
In Saint Paul, KS, hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and swift turnaround times. This ensures excellent value for businesses of all sizes, providing reassurance and efficiency at an affordable rate.
The precision and efficiency of hair follicle drug tests in Saint Paul, KS, are unparalleled. These tests offer high accuracy in determining substance use, proving to be both fast and reliable. By analyzing a small hair sample, results become available swiftly, ensuring prompt decision-making for employers and other professionals.
Employers in Saint Paul, KS, benefit from hair follicle testing by ensuring compliance with workplace drug-free policies. This method helps in reducing legal liabilities and enhancing workplace safety, offering peace of mind by supporting a secure and compliant environment.
