Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has grown popular as a formidable method for identifying usage of drugs and alcohol. Given its capability to capture biomarkers within the strands, hair retains a prolonged record of alcohol and drug intake. When taken near the scalp, it can offer a detection timeframe of nearly 90 days for substances. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and conveniently transportable.
A 1.5-inch portion, approximately 200 strands (akin to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg, optimal for screening and verification. For tests such as EtG, add-ons, or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advisable. Utilize a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is inaccessible, equivalent body hair may be harvested. Here, head hair means scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processes related to drug test analysis consist of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the introductory phase where a sample is inducted into a lab's system. Tasks here include ensuring the sample's seal and proper shipment, creating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing further data recording absent in electronic chain of custody setups.
During Screening, a preliminary scan for substance abuse is performed. Although economical in excluding drug usage for most samples, court-admissibility of a positive screening necessitates confirmation. Any samples deemed presumptively positive in Screening require confirmatory testing.
For specimens suspected positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This process involves isolating drugs from hair even at lower concentrations than other methods (like urine or oral fluid), underpinning hair drug tests’ complexity.
Positive screenings undergo Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Samples preliminarily positive are cleansed as necessary before confirmation. The entire process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair specification and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: The term "hair follicle tests" can be misleading since the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle under the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Sagerton, TX
Extended Detection Window in Sagerton, TX
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Sagerton, TX
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Sagerton, TX
Simple, Confidential Process in Sagerton, TX
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Sagerton, TX
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Sagerton, TX
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Sagerton, TX