Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair examinations have emerged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and drugs by embedding biomarkers within its growing fibers. When taken near the scalp, it can offer an approximate 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and easily transportable.
A 1.5-inch portion with around 200 hair strands (equivalent in size to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal amount for evaluation and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or more than 10-panel tests, 150mg is suggested. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing is advisable. If scalp hair isn't obtainable, a similar quantity of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair. Body hair includes every other hair type (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the initial categorization of a sample into a lab’s system. This involves ensuring that the sample was properly sealed and delivered, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any necessary data entry not covered by an electronic custody chain.
Screening involves an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is an economical method to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed to be legally acceptable. Any samples that are presumptively positive in Screening require additional confirmation.
If a sample is presumptively positive during Screening, more hair is taken from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a complex technique to execute.
The positive screening results are confirmed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples identified as presumptive positive are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the full laboratory process is examined according to both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle below the scalp
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Ottawa, OH. Hair testing offers superior detection over standard urine tests, revealing drug use with higher accuracy.
Extended Detection Window in Ottawa, OH. Hair follicle testing uncovers drug use over several months, providing employers with a detailed understanding of a candidate's substance history.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Ottawa, OH. Hair follicle tests are highly resilient against tampering, yielding trustworthy results.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations in Ottawa, OH. Our widespread centers ensure effortless access to testing services.
Simple, Confidential Process in Ottawa, OH. Our procedural clarity addresses privacy and ease-of-use concerns.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Ottawa, OH. We offer competitive rates and rapid results, offering clients beneficial value.
Fast, Accurate Results in Ottawa, OH are guaranteed with our hair follicle drug testing. These tests boast remarkable precision in pinpointing substance use, outpacing traditional methods with their high fidelity.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Ottawa, OH. Utilizing hair follicle testing keeps organizations compliant with drug-free policies.
