Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive timeline of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the elongating hair strand. When gathered from near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection timeframe of up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, not easily tampered with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment comprising approximately 200 hair strands (the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for analysis and validation. For EtG, additional examinations, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It's advisable to measure the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn’t available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. By head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The core phases in the laboratory analysis of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning consists of the preliminary integration of a sample into a lab’s system. It ensures that the sample was appropriately sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any additional data input not completed by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails an initial rapid assessment for substances of abuse. Although Screening is an economical method to exclude drug use in the bulk of samples, a positive screen must be verified to be acceptable in legal proceedings. Any samples indicating potential positivity during Screening necessitate a follow-up confirmation.
If a sample potentially tests positive during the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (ex. urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging technique to execute.
Validation of any positive screening result is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive are cleaned before confirmation as required. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair qualifications and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
The Superiority of Hair Testing Over Urine Tests in Gifford, SC
Hair testing surpasses urine tests with its accuracy and dependability.
Longer Drug Detection Window in Gifford, SC
Hair follicle testing offers a comprehensive look at drug use history.
Tamper-Proof Testing in Gifford, SC
Hair follicle tests enhance test reliability significantly.
Convenient Access Nationwide and in Gifford, SC
Our extensive network of testing centers provides hassle-free service.
Confidential and Straightforward Process in Gifford, SC
Privacy and ease-of-use are prioritized in our testing process.
Cost-Effective with Quick Turnaround in Gifford, SC
Our services offer competitive pricing and swift returns.
Fast and Precise Results in Gifford, SC
Hair follicle drug testing offers remarkable precision and swiftness.
Ensuring Compliance and Safety in Gifford, SC
Hair follicle drug tests enforce workplace safety and legal standards.
