Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair evaluations have emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands act as a record of long-term substance use by capturing biomarkers within the hair's growing fibers. When clipped near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use for a period of roughly 90 days. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to dispatch.
A sample size of 1.5 inches, comprising about 200 strands of hair (equivalent to the thickness of a #2 pencil), positioned near the scalp delivers 100mg of hair, which is optimal for analysis and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or testing beyond 10 panels, 150mg is preferred. It is beneficial to measure the sample weight with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not present, a similar quantity of body hair may be gathered. In the context of head hair, it specifically means scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair forms (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory examination of drug test specimens consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
During Accessioning, the sample undergoes initial integration into the lab’s framework. This step affirms that the sample was securely sealed and transported, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and inputs any supplemental data absent in an electronic chain of custody record.
The Screening phase performs an initial, expedited assessment for drug presence. While Screening serves as an economical approach to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive result must be conclusively verified for legal credibility. Samples that display a tentative positive outcome in Screening necessitate subsequent validation.
Should a sample yield a presumptive positive result in the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the original batch for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug analysis a particularly complex method.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methodologies. Pre-confirmation, all samples with tentative positive outcomes undergo necessary cleansing. The complete lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair category and adheres to ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination is focused on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Balaton, MN, hair follicle tests offer many advantages over traditional urine tests. Hair tests boast a longer detection window and are less prone to error, ensuring superior accuracy and reliability in substance use detection.
Hair follicle testing in Balaton, MN extends the detection window for drug use, providing insights over a much longer duration, up to 90 days. This allows employers a thorough review of an individual's substance use history.
Hair follicle tests in Balaton, MN significantly reduce risks associated with tampering or adulteration. They provide reliable, indisputable results, offering peace of mind to employers and stakeholders.
Convenient testing locations nationally, including Balaton, MN, ensure quick and easy access, making the process hassle-free for all individuals and employers.
Residents of Balaton, MN can benefit from a simple and confidential hair follicle testing process, ensuring privacy concerns are addressed at every stage, from order to result.
Balaton, MN offers hair follicle testing at competitive pricing with swift turnaround times, providing valuable solutions for businesses of any size.
The rapid and exact nature of hair follicle drug testing ensures that Balaton, MN residents receive prompt and reliable results. These tests are praised for their remarkable precision in identifying drug use.
By employing hair follicle testing, Balaton, MN employers can ensure compliance with drug-free policies, lowering legal risks and fortifying workplace safety.
