Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and drug exposure by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer an approximate 3-month look-back period for detecting alcohol and substances. Hair is straightforward to gather, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches and comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) adjacent to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or testing beyond 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is suggested. We advise using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. Our reference to head hair strictly concerns scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step in incorporating a sample into a laboratory's workflow. This step verifies that the sample is appropriately sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides a preliminary check for substance abuse. While Screening is an economical method to dismiss drug use in most samples, a positive result must be verified to be court-admissible. Any samples that are presumptively positive during Screening need a secondary confirmation.
If Screening yields a presumptive positive result, more hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepared for the Extraction phase. This phase involves separating drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), marking hair drug screening as a challenging procedure.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are washed if necessary. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under the oversight of CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand instead of the follicle under the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, surpasses urine testing primarily through its reliability and accuracy over a more extended period. Where traditional urine tests might fall short, hair tests offer superior detection capabilities, minimizing errors and presenting a trustworthy alternative.
Hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, offers a significant advantage with its extended detection window of up to 90 days. This comprehensive timeline allows employers to gain a detailed view of an individual's historical substance use, assisting in better-informed decisions about hiring and employee monitoring.
The process of hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, is designed to be tamper-resistant, significantly reducing the risk of sample adulteration compared to other methods. This ensures that the results obtained are both reliable and unquestionable, offering confidence in the test's authenticity.
With conveniently located nationwide testing centers, including in Lum, MI, accessing drug testing services is swift and hassle-free. This broad network of locations ensures quick and easy service, facilitating a stress-free testing process anywhere in the country.
The process for initiating hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, is straightforward and private. From ordering the test to collecting samples and receiving results, the entire procedure is designed to be user-friendly, reassuring individuals of their privacy and ease of use throughout.
Hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, is offered at competitive prices with fast turnaround times. These factors combine to provide significant value and peace of mind for businesses of various sizes, ensuring cost-effective solutions and timely results.
In Lum, MI, hair follicle tests are acknowledged for delivering quick and precise drug test results. They boast high accuracy in detecting the presence of substances over a longer duration, standing out as a highly dependable method of analysis. This speedy and reliable testing ensures substances are detected effectively.
Adopting hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, provides employers with compliance and peace of mind by meeting workplace drug-free policy requirements. This method helps in reducing potential legal risks while promoting a safer working environment for all employees.
