Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is recognized as an effective tool for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive history of substance usage by embedding biomarkers within its fibers as it grows. When collected near the scalp, it can offer a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and other drugs. Collection is straightforward, tampering is challenging, and shipping is easy.
A 1.5-inch hair sample comprising about 200 strands (equal to the diameter of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the preferred quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advisable. It is suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair might be used. References to head hair specifically pertain to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key steps in laboratory processing of drug test results are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the initial sample processing within a laboratory’s system. This process verifies proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any required data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening offers a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. Although it is a cost-effective means to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for court admissibility. Samples that are suspect in Screening require a secondary confirmation.
If a sample tests presumptively positive at the Screening stage, more hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations lower than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a challenging methodology.
Confirmation of any positive screen is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed according to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the skin.
Hair testing offers advantages over urine tests in Angle Inlet, MN. With superior detection for longer periods, hair tests provide exceptional reliability and accuracy that traditional urine testing lacks.
Hair follicle testing in Angle Inlet, MN, offers an extended detection window of up to 90 days, providing employers with a detailed look into an individual’s substance use history.
Hair follicle tests in Angle Inlet, MN, resist tampering, greatly minimizing sample adulteration and delivering reliable, definitive results.
Our accessible testing centers, including those in Angle Inlet, MN, offer nationwide coverage, allowing for swift, straightforward testing for all clients.
In Angle Inlet, MN, our process for ordering, undergoing, and receiving hair test results is simple and confidential, prioritizing privacy along with user-friendliness.
We offer competitive pricing and quick turnaround times for hair follicle testing in Angle Inlet, MN, providing exceptional value for businesses of any scale.
The precision and quick results of hair follicle drug tests set them apart in Angle Inlet, MN. These tests boast high accuracy in identifying substance use, ensuring reliable findings.
For employers in Angle Inlet, MN, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, mitigating legal risks while enhancing safety and providing peace of mind.
