Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is now recognized as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended record of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the hair's expanding structure. When taken near the scalp, it can detect alcohol and drugs for a period of up to 3 months. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and easy to transport.
A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 strands (similar width to a #2 pencil) from the scalp yields 100mg, which is ideal for testing. For EtG, additional tests, or when exceeding 10-panel tests, a 150mg sample is preferred. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing is advised. If scalp hair isn't an option, a proportional quantity of body hair is acceptable. When we mention head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair covers all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Procedure Summary
The drug test laboratory process encompasses four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning encompasses the preliminary integration of a sample into the lab system. This process confirms proper sealing and shipment, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes necessary data input not handled by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening performs a preliminary assessment for abuse substances. It’s a low-cost way to exclude drug use in most samples, but any positive findings must be validated for legal admissibility. Samples with presumptive positives in Screening require further confirmation.
Should the Screening indicate a potential positive, additional hair from the primary sample proceeds to Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted at much lower levels than other methods (e.g., urine, oral fluid), making hair drug testing particularly complex.
Confirmation of positives involves GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS analysis. Any presumptively positive sample gets cleaned before confirmation if necessary. The lab workflow, from Accessioning to Confirmation, complies with CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Benefits of hair drug tests:
Challenges:
Note: Though often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Gulf Hills, MS, hair follicle testing offers unique advantages over urine testing. One major benefit is superior detection precision, which ensures reliable results for drug analysis.
With an impressive detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Gulf Hills, MS, provides employers with a detailed account of a person's drug use history.
An advantage of hair follicle testing in Gulf Hills, MS, is its strong resistance to tampering. This ensures the reliability of test results, as it is difficult for individuals to alter the sample.
Accredited Drug Testing in Gulf Hills, MS has convenient nationwide locations paired with local service, making access to testing services easy and efficient for clients.
The drug testing process in Gulf Hills, MS, is designed to be simple and confidential. This addresses privacy concerns while ensuring ease of access to necessary services.
Providing affordable options and quick delivery of results, the Gulf Hills, MS testing services deliver excellent value for companies of all sizes.
The hair follicle drug testing in Gulf Hills, MS is exceptionally fast and reliable. It provides precise detection of substance use, offering peace of mind for individuals and employers.
For employers in Gulf Hills, MS, hair follicle testing ensures compliance and peace of mind with drug-free workplace policies, mitigating risks associated with drug use.
