Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has gained recognition as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a longer-term record of alcohol and other substances by securing biomarkers within the hairs' growing strand fibers. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer up to nearly a 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. It is straightforward to collect, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with approximately 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) proximal to the scalp is required to procure 100mg of hair, optimum for both screening and confirmatory purposes. For EtG, additional testing, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, a sample weighting 150mg is advised. We advocate weighing the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a comparable quantity of body hair may be used. When referencing head hair, we solely mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses any other body hair such as facial, axillary, etc.
Process Overview
The principal steps during lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the initial handling of a sample into a lab's system. This process involves verifying that the sample is correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing additional data inputs absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.
Screening constitutes a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of misuse. Although Screening offers an economical solution to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation to be valid in legal scenarios. Samples indicating drug presence in Screening must undergo a confirmatory step.
If a sample indicates drug presence during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial collection to prepare for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are retrieved from hair at notably reduced concentrations compared to other techniques (e.g., urine, oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug screening.
Any positive screening outcome is confirmed through techniques such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Necessary presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation. The complete laboratory process ranging from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated against CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand, not on the scalp’s hair follicle.
In Garden, MI, hair follicle testing stands out for its superior accuracy compared to traditional urine tests. Hair tests deliver more reliable results, offering an extended detection window that urine tests cannot.
Hair follicle testing in Garden, MI provides an extended detection window of up to 90 days. Comprehensive view of substance use history is achieved, offering employers a robust tool for evaluating potential or current employees. By reviewing a more extended usage period, companies gain insights unavailable with shorter-term tests like urine.
In Garden, MI, hair follicle testing is nearly impervious to tampering, significantly reducing sample adulteration risks. Reliable results ensure confidence in drug testing outcomes.
Accessible testing locations in Garden, MI, are part of our nationwide network, ensuring seamless service. Convenient access to testing facilities is guaranteed, allowing for quick and effective testing procedures.
The process of hair follicle testing in Garden, MI, is straightforward and private, addressing confidentiality concerns. Ease of use is prioritized, with a simple procedure for ordering and receiving results.
Competitive pricing and rapid turnaround for hair follicle testing in Garden, MI offer excellent value for businesses. Cost-effective solutions combined with quick results ensure peace of mind.
Garden, MI residents benefit from hair follicle drug tests that are renowned for fast and precise results. Accurate results are achieved through advanced testing methods.
Employers in Garden, MI can rely on hair follicle testing to uphold drug-free workplace policies, offering peace of mind and compliance assurance. Legal risk reduction coupled with improved safety ensures a secure work environment.
