Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has evolved as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a prolonged account of alcohol and substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When taken close to the scalp, it provides a detection period of up to around 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is easy, tough to manipulate, and straightforward to transport.
A sample size of 1.5 inches, comprising about 200 hair strands (roughly equivalent to a #2 pencil’s circumference) closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the preferred amount for thorough testing. For EtG tests, additional panels beyond 10 require 150mg. Using a jeweler’s scale is advised to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is not accessible, a similar quantity of body hair is an alternative. The term head hair specifically indicates scalp hair. Body hair covers all other hair types (such as facial or axillary hair).
Procedure Summary
The laboratory analysis of drug test results is comprised of four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to initially processing a sample into the lab's database. This step includes confirming that the sample is sealed and sent correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any data entry tasks not handled by an electronic tracking system.
Screening consists of a rapid preliminary check for drug usage. Though Screening is an economical approach to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screening result necessitates confirmation for legal validity. Any samples that test presumptively positive during Screening undergo a subsequent confirmation.
Should a sample show a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted for the Extraction process. During this step, drugs are drawn from hair at much lower levels than other methods such as urine or saliva tests, making hair drug testing the most complex method to execute.
Confirmation of positive results from screening is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. Throughout the process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, the procedures conform to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair protocols and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Benefits of hair drug testing:
Constraints:
Note: Despite being called "hair follicle tests," the examination actually focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicles below the scalp.
In comparison to traditional urine tests, hair follicle testing offers an edge in Elliston, MT with superior detection precision.
The expansive detection timeframe of hair follicle testing in Elliston, MT provides a glance at drug use up to 90 days back.
Reducing adulteration risks, hair follicle testing in Elliston, MT offers robust protection against sample tampering.
Our widespread testing networks span nationwide facilities, with convenient local centers in Elliston, MT.
Ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle test results in Elliston, MT is straightforward and confidential.
Competitive pricing and swift turnaround times are core aspects of our testing offerings in Elliston, MT.
Employers in Elliston, MT discover that hair follicle tests provide rapid, precise, and trustworthy findings. Their capability to detect substances with impressive accuracy renders them invaluable in upholding workplace standards.
Hair follicle testing in Elliston, MT reinforces workplace safety, offering employers compliance assurance with anti-drug policies.
