Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair encapsulates a long-duration record of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers within the strands of the growing hair. When gathered near the scalp, it can offer nearly a three-month window for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A sample size of 200 hair strands, about 1.5 inches long (similar to a #2 pencil's diameter) near the scalp provides approximately 100mg of hair, which is ideal for initial screening and confirmation. For tests including EtG, additional panels, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advised. We recommend measuring the specimen on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a corresponding quantity of body hair can be used. Head hair refers solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes facial, axillary, and other types.
Process Overview
The primary steps in the lab process of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the first stage of processing a sample into a lab's system. It involves verifying the sample's proper seal and shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing supplemental data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening involves a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-effective method for eliminating drug usage in the majority of samples, a positive screen requires confirmation for court admissibility. Any samples that screen presumptively positive need a secondary confirmation.
If a sample screens presumptively positive, additional hair is taken from the initial specimen for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration than with other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening a challenging method to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screenings is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The full laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although sometimes called "hair follicle tests," these tests analyze the hair strand and not the scalp's hair follicle.
Why does hair follicle testing outshine urine testing in Leisure Village, NJ? The advantages of hair follicle tests include increased detection accuracy and enhanced reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair testing provides a more robust analysis.
The extended detection window of hair follicle tests, up to 90 days, in Leisure Village, NJ, is invaluable. It provides a broader scope of an individual’s substance use history, aiding employers with a complete overview.
The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing in Leisure Village, NJ, ensures that the results are both robust and reliable. This method effectively reduces the possibility of sample manipulation.
Conveniently located across the nation, and locally in Leisure Village, NJ, our testing centers offer quick and hassle-free access for all your testing needs.
Simple and confidential testing processes in Leisure Village, NJ, make hair follicle drug tests user-friendly. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, we prioritize privacy and simplicity.
Leisure Village, NJ offers affordable pricing and quick turnaround times. Our competitive pricing structures provide companies of all sizes with excellent value and peace of mind.
In Leisure Village, NJ, hair follicle drug tests offer fast, accurate, and reliable results, ensuring superior accuracy when detecting substance use. This method allows for rapid processing without compromising any aspect of precision, thus building trust in the testing outcomes.
Employers in Leisure Village, NJ, find peace of mind with hair follicle testing among the compliance benefits. This method helps ensure adherence to drug-free workplace policies, mitigating legal risks and enhancing safety.
