Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is considered an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a comprehensive record of substance use by capturing biomarkers within its growing strands. When obtained near the scalp, hair can reflect alcohol and drug use history for up to roughly three months. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and convenient to transport.
Taking a 1.5-inch piece of close-to-scalp hair (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) yields about 100mg of hair, which is the preferred quantity for analysis and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding ten, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest checking the specimen's weight using a jeweler's scale. If no scalp hair is available, a similar quantity of body hair is acceptable. By head hair, we specifically mean hair from the scalp. Body hair encompasses other types (facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The essential phases of lab processing for a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning deals with the sample's preliminary processing upon entry into the lab's system. This stage ensures that the sample is properly sealed and delivered, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any necessary data input not covered by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening entails an initial swift assessment for potential drug usage. Though Screening is a budget-friendly way to eliminate drug use on most samples, a court-acceptable positive result must be confirmed. Any samples with a presumptive positive result during Screening undergo further confirmation.
If Screening indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is taken from the original sample for Extraction. This stage involves isolating drugs from hair at lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug tests exceptionally challenging.
Any initially positive Screening outcome is confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples deemed presumptively positive are cleaned, if necessary, before confirmation. The full lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being called "hair follicle tests", this test examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Oceanside, NY
The advantages of hair testing in Oceanside are clear. Where urine tests might falter, hair tests step up with unmatched precision.
Extended Detection Window in Oceanside, NY
Employers in Oceanside benefit significantly from the long-term insight hair testing provides into drug usage.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Oceanside, NY
In Oceanside, hair follicle testing is trusted for its resilience against tampering.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Oceanside, NY
National and local, our Oceanside testing centers deliver convenience at every step.
Simple, Confidential Process in Oceanside, NY
Those in Oceanside appreciate the simplicity and privacy of our hair testing services.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Oceanside, NY
Organizations in Oceanside enjoy affordability paired with fast, reliable outcomes.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Oceanside, NY
Hair follicle tests stand out in Oceanside for their unerring accuracy and rapid delivery of results.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Oceanside, NY
Employers in Oceanside find peace of mind through compliance assured by hair follicle testing.