Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a historical record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing strand. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer up to a roughly 3-month window to detect alcohol and other drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch section consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields about 100mg, which is the ideal sample for both screening and validation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen amount of 150mg is advised. We suggest measuring the sample on a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair denotes 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 encompasses the initial integration of a sample into a laboratory's system. This step includes ensuring the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry that wasn't provided by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening conducts an initial rapid check for commonly abused substances. While Screening is a cost-efficient method for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be legally upheld. Any samples that show presumptive positivity during Screening need an additional confirmation step.
If a sample appears presumptively positive in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the original sample for further Extraction. In this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug screening is the most challenging methodology to execute.
Confirmation of positive screening outcomes is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples receive a washing as needed. The comprehensive laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes a review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests," the analysis actually evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Benefits of Hair vs. Urine Testing
Long Detection Period of Hair Follicle Testing
Hair Follicle Tests - Tamper Proof
Convenient Testing Locations
Simplicity and Confidentiality
Value and Speed in Drug Testing
Precision and Speed in Hair Follicle Drug Tests
Ensuring Compliance and Peace of Mind