Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is now recognized as a robust method for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. By embedding biomarkers within the hair shaft during growth, hair offers an extensive historical record of substance usage. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to around 90 days for alcohol and various other substances. Hair is straightforward to gather, relatively challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment comprising around 200 hair strands (approximately the width of a #2 pencil) situated closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation procedures. For EtG, ancillary tests, and/or assessments extending beyond 10 panels, a recommended quantity is 150mg of the sample. It is advisable to assess the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, a comparable quantity of body hair can be obtained. When mentioning head hair, we specifically refer to scalp hair only. Body hair encompasses all other forms of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key stages in processing a laboratory drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the preliminary processing of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This encompasses verifying that the sample was adequately sealed and dispatched, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any additional data recording not facilitated by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening includes a preliminary rapid test for substance misuse. Although Screening is an economical approach to eliminate drug usage in numerous samples, a positive screening necessitates confirmation to be valid in legal proceedings. Any sample that preliminarily tests positive in Screening necessitates a further confirmation.
Should a sample preliminarily indicate positivity during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction stage. During this stage, substances are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluids), underscoring why hair drug screening is among the most challenging procedures to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcomes is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo cleaning prior to confirmation as necessary. The comprehensive laboratory protocol from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes evaluation under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Testing Excels Over Urine Tests
A Deeper Look with Hair Follicle Testing
Secured and Tamper-Proof Testing
Accessible Testing Locations Across the Nation
Streamlined and Private Testing Process
Budget-Friendly and Swift Services
Exceptional Speed and Accuracy in Testing
Ensuring Compliance and Tranquility for Employers