Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is now regarded as an effective resource for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By embedding biomarkers within the strands of growing hair, it offers a retrospective view of substance use. Collected near the scalp, hair samples can reveal a detection period of up to three months for alcohol and drug usage. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with roughly 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp equals 100mg of hair, optimal for testing and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg sample is advised. It's best to weigh the hair sample using a jeweler’s scale. In cases where scalp hair is inaccessible, a comparable amount of body hair may be used. Head hair specifically denotes scalp hair. All other types, such as facial or axillary, are termed body hair.
Process Overview
The drug test result processing in the laboratory comprises four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the initial intake of a sample into the lab’s system. This process checks that the sample was properly sealed and sent, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishes any necessary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody.
Screening is a preliminary assessment for drugs. Screening economically determines drug absence in most cases. A positive result in Screening mandates confirmation to hold in legal contexts. Presumptively positive samples during Screening require secondary verification.
For samples that show presumptive positivity in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. Drugs are extracted from the hair at considerably lower concentrations than those found in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a highly complex process.
Any positive result in screening undergoes Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Pretreatment washes of presumptive positive samples are conducted as necessary before confirmation. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the complete lab procedure is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the assessment actually involves analysis of the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing is evident in Standish, MA. Compared to traditional urine tests, hair analyses offer superior detection accuracy and reliability. Some advantages include:
Extended Detection Window in Standish, MA, is a valuable asset of hair follicle testing. It covers drug use from the past 90 days, enabling a thorough examination of one's substance history.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Standish, MA, ensures that sample adulteration is greatly minimized, providing unparalleled reliability. Hair follicle tests are designed to resist:
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations in Standish, MA ensure fast and hassle-free services. Our widespread network makes drug testing incredibly convenient:
Simple, Confidential Process in Standish, MA represents our dedication to privacy and ease. Every step respects user confidentiality:
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Standish, MA, highlight our commitment to value and efficiency. We offer competitive pricing structures designed to suit organizations of any size:
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results are crucial for detecting substance abuse in Standish, MA. Hair follicle tests provide exceptional precision and speed in revealing drug and alcohol use. The process ensures top-notch accuracy, leaving no room for error.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Standish, MA, is a cornerstone of implementing hair follicle testing. It helps maintain workplace safety by ensuring adherence to drug-free policies while diminishing legal risks.