Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
The practice of hair testing has emerged as an effective instrument in uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. By embedding biomarkers within its strands, hair captures a prolonged record of substance intake. A sample taken near the scalp can reveal drug and alcohol use history for nearly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, with low risk of tampering, and facilitates easy shipping.
A 1.5-inch portion containing roughly 200 hairs (comparable to a #2 pencil in thickness) yields 100mg, deemed the perfect sample size for initial and confirmatory assessments. For EtG inclusions and/or screenings beyond 10 panels, 150mg is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is beneficial. Should scalp hair be inaccessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, only scalp hair is meant, while body hair encompasses all other hair types like facial and axillary.
Process Overview
The lab procedures in drug testing comprise four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the primary step in integrating a sample into the lab system. It involves checking the specimen for proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any extra data not included by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening offers an initial, swift examination for common drugs. While cost-effective for most sample evaluations, positive screens must undergo confirmation for legal validity. Samples identified with presumptive positivity in Screenings require secondary verification.
When a sample emerges positive during Screening, additional hair is sourced from the collected specimen for Extraction. Here, substances are separated from hair at markedly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluids), marking hair screening as the most intricate method.
GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques are utilized to confirm positive screening results. All samples with preliminary positivity are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed following the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and accredited as per ISO / IEC 17025 requirements.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite commonly being termed "hair follicle tests", the process involves examining the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Spring Valley, OH
Extended Detection Window in Spring Valley, OH
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Spring Valley, OH
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Spring Valley, OH
Simple, Confidential Process in Spring Valley, OH
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Spring Valley, OH
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Spring Valley, OH
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Spring Valley, OH