Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and drug usage by holding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When gathered close to the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe of roughly 3 months for alcohol and drugs. The collection process is straightforward, relatively challenging to tamper with, and simple to ship.
Collecting a 1.5-inch segment containing around 200 hairs (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for both initial screening and confirmation stages. For EtG, additional examinations, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be insufficient, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be accepted. When referencing head hair, it exclusively pertains to scalp hair. Body hair includes every other hair type (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The core phases in the lab processing of a drug test involve Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the step where the sample enters the lab’s processing system. This entails checking that the sample is properly sealed and dispatched, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any other data input not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening is an initial swift assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a budget-friendly method to eliminate drug presence in most samples, a positive screen requires verification to be court-admissible. Any samples yielding a presumptive positive in Screening must undergo further confirmation.
Should a sample yield a presumptive positive at the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and set for Extraction. During this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening a highly challenging methodology to conduct.
Confirmation for any positive screening result is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are washed as necessary. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and with accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Though commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Oak Grove, KY, hair follicle testing demonstrates clear advantages over traditional urine tests.
Employers in Oak Grove, KY, benefit from hair follicle tests due to their extended detection window of up to 90 days. This longer period provides an overview of an individual's substance use history, aiding in informed decision-making.
Hair follicle tests in Oak Grove, KY, significantly lower the risk of sample tampering, offering dependable results.
The convenience of our nationwide and local testing centers in Oak Grove, KY, simplifies the drug testing process.
In Oak Grove, KY, we ensure a straightforward and confidential process for hair testing, from ordering to results.
Affordable pricing and fast turnaround establish Oak Grove, KY, hair testing as a valuable service.
The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Oak Grove, KY, are noteworthy. These tests stand out for their high accuracy in identifying substance use.
For employers in Oak Grove, KY, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free policies, minimizing legal risks and promoting safety.
