Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as an effective means for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive record of alcohol and drug exposure by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. If collected close to the head, hair offers an approximate 90-day window for detecting drug and alcohol presence. Gathering hair is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.
A section measuring 1.5 inches with approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) retrieved nearest to the scalp can yield 100mg of hair, the optimal amount needed for testing and validation. For testing that includes EtG, additional compounds, or exceeds a 10-panel screen, 150mg is advised. It is suggested that the hair sample's weight be verified using a jeweler's scale. In cases where scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. When we speak of head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses any other types (such as facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory examination of a drug test consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step of incorporating a specimen into the lab's framework. This ensures the specimen was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry from an electronic tracking system.
Screening serves as a preliminary, cost-efficient assessment for banned substances. Although Screening effectively excludes drug presence for most specimens, a positive result necessitates confirmation to be legally acceptable. All samples indicating a likely positive outcome in Screening must undergo further verification.
Should a sample indicate a likely positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and set up for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are withdrawn from hair at concentrations much lower than other methods (e.g., urine or saliva), making hair testing the most challenging to execute.
A confirmed positive result from Screening proceeds to further validation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Each presumed positive sample is cleaned before confirmation as required. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes evaluation under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidance and adherence to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being labeled as "hair follicle tests", the procedure actually evaluates the hair shaft, not the follicle beneath the skin.
In Coburn, PA, hair follicle testing is valued for its superior accuracy compared to traditional urine tests. While urine tests detect drug use shortly after intake, hair tests offer a broader lens, including past months.
Employers in Coburn, PA appreciate hair follicle testing for its extended detection window of up to 90 days, surpassing typical methods. This enables a comprehensive review of an individual's history.
One of the standout advantages of hair follicle tests in Coburn, PA is their tamper-resistant nature, significantly reducing sample manipulation risk.
With convenient testing locations throughout Coburn, PA and a vast nationwide network, accessing hair follicle testing is straightforward.
The hair follicle testing process in Coburn, PA is simple and confidential, addressing concerns about ease and privacy.
Coburn, PA offers affordable pricing for hair follicle tests, paired with rapid turnaround, providing great value.
Hair follicle drug testing in Coburn, PA offers swift and precise results, reflecting its high accuracy in detecting substance presence. This testing method provides stakeholders with confidence, ensuring reliable assessments in a timely manner.
Using hair follicle testing in Coburn, PA assures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, bolstering safety and reducing legal risks.
