Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair tests are now regarded as an effective means for detecting consumption of drugs and alcohol. Hair accumulates a prolonged record of substances by embedding biomarkers in the strands of the growing hair. When gathered near the scalp, hair enables up to around a 3-month detection timeframe for drugs and alcohol. It is easy to gather hair, somewhat hard to tamper with, and straightforward to send.
A 1.5-inch section comprising roughly 200 hair strands (around the girth of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp offers 100mg of hair, which is the preferred sample size for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or evaluations exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is suggested. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is advised. If scalp hair isn’t present, a similar volume of body hair may be used. The term head hair solely denotes scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other varieties of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The quartet of fundamental steps in processing a drug test outcome in a lab span Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the preliminary system incorporation of a sample in a laboratory. This comprises affirming the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), along with completing supplementary data entry absent from the electronic chain of custody system.
Screening conducts an immediate preliminary test for substance misuse. Though Screening serves as an economical technique for ruling out drug consumption for most samples, a positive finding demands confirmation to be court-acceptable. Any Screening-derived presumptive positive samples necessitate confirmatory testing.
Should a sample manifest as presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the primary sample for Preparation in Extraction. Here, drugs are drawn from hair with a much lower density compared to alternative methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which is why executing hair drug screening is notably challenging.
Verification of any positive Screening result ensues through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing if necessary before confirmation. The comprehensive laboratory processing, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and adherence to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being labeled as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, rather than the follicle under the scalp
Why Choose Hair Follicle Over Urine Tests in Smyrna, SC? The advantages of hair testing are evident.
Extended Drug Detection in Smyrna, SC Hair follicle testing provides insights into an extended history of substance use.
Reliable Tamper-Resistant Testing in Smyrna, SC Hair follicle tests offer a significant advantage in reducing the risk of sample tampering.
Accessible Hair Testing Locations in Smyrna, SC Availability of extensive testing centers across the nation, along with convenient local sites, assures ease of access.
Streamlined Confidential Testing in Smyrna, SC Our hair follicle testing process is both simple and private.
Competitive Pricing & Quick Service in Smyrna, SC Accredited Drug Testing offers value through reasonable pricing and fast service.
Rapid and Precise Drug Testing in Smyrna, SC Hair follicle drug testing stands out for its speed and precision.
Employer Assurance Through Hair Follicle Testing in Smyrna, SC Implementing hair follicle testing in the workplace greatly benefits employers.
