Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair encapsulates a comprehensive timeline of alcohol and other drugs usage by embedding biomarkers within the strands' fibers as they grow. When taken close to the scalp, it can offer up to around a 3-month window for detecting alcohol and other drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and tests beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. If scalp hair cannot be sourced, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory analysis of a drug test result encompasses four major stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the first stage, entering a sample into a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample is properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any remaining data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening offers an initial rapid assessment for drug abuse. Though Screening provides an economical method for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed to be acceptable in legal proceedings. Samples that are tentatively positive during Screening require further confirmation.
If a sample is potentially positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. At this phase, drugs are drawn from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a challenging process.
Confirming a positive screen is achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Any samples with a preliminary positive are washed before confirmation if necessary. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and certification to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand, not the hair follicle underneath the scalp.
In Middleport, NY, hair follicle testing demonstrates superior accuracy and reliability over traditional urine tests. While urine tests detect recent use, hair tests offer a comprehensive overview with their extended detection capabilities.
Hair follicle testing in Middleport, NY provides an extended detection window of up to 90 days, offering employers a thorough insight into an individual's substance history.
Middleport, NY relies on hair follicle tests for their tamper-resistant integrity. This method significantly minimizes the risk of sample alteration, presenting unquestionable results.
In Middleport, NY, our testing centers offer convenient locations nationwide, providing easy access to hair follicle drug testing services.
The hair follicle testing process is simple and confidential in Middleport, NY, ensuring respect for privacy from order to result receipt.
Middleport, NY values the competitive pricing and fast turnaround times of our hair testing services.
The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Middleport, NY have become notable. These tests are lauded for their high accuracy in identifying substance use, offering fast, reliable results that serve both employers and individuals.
For employers in Middleport, NY, hair follicle testing fosters compliance and assurance with drug-free policies.
