Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol usage. Hair retains a long-term record of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers in the hairs as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to about three months for alcohol and drugs. It is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A sample of 1.5 inches, comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, will give 100mg of hair, the preferred quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or screenings beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It is suggested that the specimen be weighed using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be used. References to head hair pertain solely to scalp hair. In contrast, body hair encompasses all other hair types (like facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key stages in the lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the preliminary handling of a sample into a lab’s database. This step ensures the sample was adequately sealed and sent, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any data entry that an electronic chain of custody system does not cover.
Screening is a preliminary swift check for drug abuse. Although Screening is a cost-effective method to exclude drug usage on most samples, any positive results need confirmation to be court-admissible. Presumptive positive samples in Screening indeed require an additional confirmation step.
When a sample is presumptively positive during Screening, extra hair is extracted from the primary specimen for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluids), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methods.
Confirmation of positive screening results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed as necessary before confirmation. The comprehensive lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is reviewed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and compliance with the ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Madison, WI centers on the enhanced
Extended Detection Window in Madison, WI is a significant advantage of hair follicle tests. Capable of identifying drug use up to
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Madison, WI significantly curbs the chance of sample manipulation. Due to their
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Madison, WI underscore the ease of accessing our services. Our widespread network of
Simple, Confidential Process in Madison, WI highlights the straightforward nature of getting tested. Ensuring
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Madison, WI emphasize our commitment to value. With
Fast, Accurate Results in Madison, WI are achieved through hair follicle drug tests. These tests provide
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Madison, WI is enhanced through hair follicle testing. By aligning with workplace drug policies, it helps
