Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair diagnostics have evolved into a robust method for uncovering substance and alcohol consumption. Hair archives a prolonged history of intoxicants by capturing biomarkers within its growing fibers. When harvested near the scalp, it offers an approximate 3-month detection timeline for alcohol and drugs. Collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.
An inch and a half segment of around 200 hair strands (resembling a #2 pencil's girth) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the optimal unit for analysis and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or over 10-panel tests, a 150mg sample is advised. It's recommended to weigh the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't present, an equivalent quantity of body hair is an option. When mentioning head hair, it specifically implies scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The lab processing of a drug test encompasses four pivotal steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial phase where a sample is logged into the lab system. This verifies proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes extra data entry absent from the electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails a preliminary assessment for drug abuse indicators. While Screening is a budget-friendly approach to eliminate drug usage in most cases, a positive result must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Any samples that test positive in Screening require subsequent confirmation.
If the Screening phase yields a positive result, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepped for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at much lesser concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug evaluation is the most complex to conduct.
Positive screening outcomes are validated via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suggesting a positive result undergo washing before confirmation as required. The full lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is inspected under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the ISO/IEC 17025 standard accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the process analyzes the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
Advantages of Hair Follicle Over Urine Testing in Eldon, WA
Extended Detection Window in Eldon, WA
Reduced Tamper Risk in Eldon, WA
Access to Nationwide Testing Centers in Eldon, WA
A Simple, Confidential Process in Eldon, WA
Competitive Pricing and Fast Results in Eldon, WA
Fast and Accurate Results in Eldon, WA
Compliance and Assurance for Employers in Eldon, WA