Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a long-term record of substance use by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the developing hair strand. When harvested near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use for a detectable period of approximately 3 months. It is easy to gather, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment comprising about 200 strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. For tests involving EtG, additional panels, or exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is preferred. It is advisable to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be utilized. When discussing head hair, we specifically refer to scalp hair. Body hair includes all hair types apart from scalp hair (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The testing for drugs follows four primary laboratory steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning marks the sample's introduction into the lab system. This phase encompasses checking for the sample’s proper sealing and shipment, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and any supplementary data logging not handled by an electronic chain of custody mechanism.
Screening is a preliminary assessment targeting drugs of misuse. Though it offers a cost-effective exclusionary method for most samples, a confirmed positive screening is required to hold up in legal proceedings. Samples that give a presumptive positive during Screening necessitate further confirmation.
If Screening suggests a positive result, additional hair from the original specimen is retrieved for Extraction. During this phase, substances are extracted from hair at significantly lower levels than other forms like urine or saliva, which makes hair testing the most challenging to execute.
Positive results from the screening are confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methodologies. Necessary presumptively positive samples are cleaned before confirmation. The entire lab flow, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is examined per both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and the accreditation of ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Though commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination involves the hair strand, not the follicle below the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Washington, WV, surpasses urine testing by offering enhanced detection accuracy and consistency. Hair testing stands out against traditional urine tests, proving more effective in identifying drug use.
With its extended detection window, hair follicle testing in Washington, WV, reveals drug use history for up to 90 days. Employers gain a detailed view of a candidate's or employee's substance use.
Hair follicle tests in Washington, WV, are resistant to tampering, significantly lowering the chances of sample adulteration, hence delivering results that are dependable and unquestionable.
We facilitate convenient testing through our network of nationwide centers and local presence in Washington, WV, ensuring a seamless and accessible experience.
The process of requesting, conducting, and obtaining hair follicle test results in Washington, WV is simple and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease for all users.
Offering competitive prices and rapid turnaround, hair follicle testing in Washington, WV delivers unmatched value and reassurance to businesses of any scale.
In Washington, WV, hair follicle drug testing offers quick and reliable results. Precision and speed define this method, providing high accuracy in identifying substance use.
Employers in Washington, WV, benefit from hair follicle testing in maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace policies, reducing legal exposure, and boosting workplace security.
