Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective method for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. The hair retains biomarkers within the fibers as it grows, providing a prolonged history of substance use. When sampled near the scalp, it offers a detection period of up to about three months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A length of 1.5 inches from around 200 hair strands (roughly the diameter of a #2 pencil) cut close to the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal amount for testing. For EtG, additional analyses, and tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler's scale to weigh the hair sample. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be taken. When talking about head hair, we mean scalp hair specifically. Body hair encompasses all other types (like facial and axillary hair).
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test comprises four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning incorporates the preliminary handling of a sample within the laboratory system. It covers verifying the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any additional data not included by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening is an initial swift examination for substances. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method for ruling out drug presence in most cases, a positive result needs confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that are presumed positive during Screening require further corroboration.
If Screening indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the initial collection for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from the hair at much lower levels than in other testing methods (like urine or oral fluids), which is why hair drug testing is the most complex to execute.
Any positive result from Screening is confirmed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All presumed positive samples are washed as necessary before confirmation. The entire procedure, from Accessioning through to Confirmation, is conducted under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Though often termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
The advantages of hair follicle over urine testing are evident in Fabens, TX. Hair tests offer enhanced detection accuracy, identifying drug use over a long span, thereby lending credibility and reliability to results.
Hair follicle testing can reveal drug use history up to 90 days, a noteworthy advantage in Fabens, TX. This extended detection ensures a thorough understanding of substance patterns, critical for comprehensive assessments.
In Fabens, TX, hair follicle testing markedly reduces tampering risks. This robust testing method offers solid results, assuring integrity and confidence during evaluations.
Nationwide and local centers, including in Fabens, TX, ensure our testing services are easily accessible and convenient, maintaining swift and seamless execution.
With a simple and confidential process in Fabens, TX, ordering and receiving results is straightforward, addressing concerns around privacy with ease and efficiency.
In Fabens, TX, our services boast competitive pricing and rapid result turnaround, providing value and peace of mind to businesses of any size.
The precision of hair follicle drug tests ensures fast and reliable substance detection. In Fabens, TX, this testing's rigorous accuracy aids timely and definitive results, critical for sensitive safety and compliance obligations.
Hair follicle testing aids employers in Fabens, TX by supporting drug-free policies, ensuring compliance, and diminishing legal risks, which fosters a safer workplace environment.
