Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extensive timeline of alcohol and other substance use by embedding biomarkers in the strands of hair as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer an approximate detection timeframe of up to 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively challenging to manipulate, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) taken closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is optimal for initial screening and subsequent confirmation. For EtG, additional testing, or over 10-panel tests, 150mg of hair is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. In the absence of scalp hair, a comparable amount of body hair can be utilized. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure of processing a drug test result includes four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning encompasses the initial integration of a sample into a laboratory's system. This step involves confirming the sample's proper sealing and shipment, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides a preliminary rapid check to identify drugs of abuse. Though Screening is a cost-efficient method for excluding drug use in most samples, any positive screen requires confirmation to be valid in a legal setting. All samples showing presumptive positive results during Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.
For samples yielding a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. This step involves extracting drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid); hence, hair drug testing is considered the most challenging to execute.
Verification of any positive Screening result is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positive results undergo washing before confirmation if required. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is carried out under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being frequently termed "hair follicle tests," the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Eagle Lake, ME, surpasses traditional urine tests in several ways. It offers enhanced detection accuracy and reliability.
Eagle Lake, ME benefits from the extended detection window of hair follicle testing, capturing drug use up to 90 days. Employers gain a comprehensive view of an individual's substance history.
Hair follicle tests in Eagle Lake, ME, offer a tamper-resistant solution. This method significantly reduces risk of sample adulteration.
With convenient testing centers nationwide and locally in Eagle Lake, ME, accessing services is easy and hassle-free.
In Eagle Lake, ME, the procedure for hair follicle testing is simple and confidential. Users can be assured of privacy.
Our competitive pricing and prompt result delivery offer affordable value in Eagle Lake, ME. Companies of all sizes benefit.
In Eagle Lake, ME, hair follicle testing offers speed and unmatched accuracy in identifying substance use. Fast outcome delivery ensures timely management decisions.
Employers in Eagle Lake, ME, find peace of mind and compliance with hair follicle testing. Ensuring adherence to drug-free policies becomes simpler.
