Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
The use of hair testing has been embraced as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair encapsulates a prolonged history of substances by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer up to roughly a 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A sample of 1.5 inches comprising approximately 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample for testing and validation. For EtG, supplementary, and/or examinations beyond 10 panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is advised. It is advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is not available, a comparable quantity of body hair might be gathered. It is important to note that head hair pertains only to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (facial, armpit, etc.).
Process Outline
The laboratory processing of a drug test result encompasses four essential steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the preliminary processing of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This process involves ensuring the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening consists of an initial cursory examination for substances of abuse. While Screening is a budget-friendly method to eliminate drug use on the majority of samples, a positive result requires further confirmation to be considered valid in legal proceedings. Samples showing presumptive positives during Screening necessitate additional confirmation.
If a sample appears presumptively positive during the Screening phase, extra hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. During this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at markedly lower concentrations than in alternative methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation when necessary. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Merits of hair drug testing:
Drawbacks:
Important: Although frequently called "hair follicle tests", the examination evaluates the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp
When comparing hair and urine tests in Red Cross, NC, hair follicle testing emerges superior.
Red Cross, NC benefits from hair follicle tests with their prolonged detection period, capturing substance use history up to 90 days out.
This long detection window ensures extensive insight into substance use.
Hair follicle testing in Red Cross, NC is a tamper-resistant solution.
It significantly curbs sample adulteration, yielding dependable results.
Reliable outcomes strengthen testing credibility and enforceability.
Red Cross, NC residents have the advantage of convenient testing locations with nationwide coverage.
This accessibility provides quick, easy, and hassle-free testing services.
The hair follicle testing process in Red Cross, NC is straightforward and confidential.
From ordering to testing and results, privacy concerns are addressed efficiently.
In Red Cross, NC, hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and swift turnaround times.
This combination of affordability and speed meets varying organizational needs effectively.
In Red Cross, NC, hair follicle drug tests are recognized for their swift and reliable results.
Their accuracy in detecting substance use is notably high, offering confidence in identification processes.
Hair tests expedite the drug testing procedure, increasing efficiency and reducing waiting times.
In Red Cross, NC, hair follicle testing delivers compliance and peace of mind to employers.
