Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is increasingly regarded as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. A continuous record of alcohol and drugs is captured by hair by encasing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing strands. Collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection reach of up to roughly three months for alcohol and other substances. Collecting hair is straightforward, not easily adulterated, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch hair sample containing approximately 200 strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for screening and ensuring accuracy. For EtG add-ons or tests greater than 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is ideal. Using a jeweler’s scale for the specimen’s weight is advisable. If scalp hair isn’t available, a similar quantity of body hair can be used instead. References to head hair pertain solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The four central steps in processing a drug test in a laboratory include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning marks the initial input of a sample into a lab’s database, including checking the sample's sealing and shipping integrity, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any extra data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides a preliminary assessment for the presence of drugs. While cost-effective for excluding drug intake in most samples, a positive reading in Screening must be validated to be accepted in a legal setting. Any samples testing positive initially require a secondary validation.
Should a sample be positive in the Screening phase, further hair from the initial specimen is collected for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug analysis a challenging method to conduct.
The Confirmation of any positive outcome from Screening is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples testing positive initially undergo a wash before confirmation if needed. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP Hair designation (College of American Pathologists) and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly labeled as "hair follicle tests," the test itself evaluates the hair strand, not the scalp’s hair follicle.
In Auburn, ME, the advantages of hair follicle testing over urine tests are clear.
With a detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle tests allow employers in Auburn, ME, a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s drug history.
In Auburn, ME, the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing significantly improves test reliability.
With convenient nationwide testing centers, including in Auburn, ME, hair follicle drug testing is easily accessible.
Hair follicle testing in Auburn, ME, offers a simple, confidential process from ordering to receiving results.
Providing affordable pricing and swift result delivery, our hair follicle testing in Auburn, ME, caters to companies small and large.
Hair follicle drug tests provide fast, precise results, making them invaluable in Auburn, ME.
Employers in Auburn, ME, benefit from compliance and peace of mind using hair follicle testing.
