Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair records a comprehensive timeline of alcohol and drug use by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When taken close to the scalp, hair can reveal substance exposure for up to around three months. The collection process is straightforward, tampering is relatively challenging, and transportation is uncomplicated.
A section of 1.5 inches, consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (similar to the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp is needed to obtain 100mg, which is ideal for initial and confirmatory testing. In cases involving EtG, additional tests, or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the hair is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the hair. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, the same quantity of body hair can be used. When we mention head hair, it strictly refers to scalp hair, whereas body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The lab processing of a drug test result encompasses four essential steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the preliminary handling of a sample within a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample’s seal and shipment integrity, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing information not captured by the electronic chain of custody protocol.
Screening is an initial rapid assessment for drug abuse. It provides an economical solution to exclude drug use in most samples, but a positive screening requires confirmation to be legally valid. Samples that initially test positive in Screening must undergo a secondary confirmation.
In instances where a sample tests positive in the Screening phase, an extra portion of the original specimen is extracted for further analysis. During Extraction, drugs are extracted from the hair at much lower concentrations compared to other tests (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging method.
Any positive results in the screening phase are confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Presumptive positive samples are thoroughly cleansed before confirmation, if necessary. The complete laboratory progress, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed according to the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Often called "hair follicle tests", these evaluations examine the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Levering, MI, hair follicle tests often surpass urine tests in terms of detection accuracy and reliability.
Hair follicle testing in Levering, MI, permits detection of drug use over a prolonged period, extending to 90 days. This facilitates employers in evaluating an individual's substance history comprehensively.
Hair follicle tests in Levering, MI, are inherently tamper-resistant, ensuring authentic results.
Offering local and nationwide testing centers, we ensure convenient access to hair follicle testing in Levering, MI.
Our testing process in Levering, MI, is both simple and confidential, guaranteeing results securely and privately.
Levering, MI's hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and rapid turnaround, maximizing value and reducing worries for businesses.
Hair follicle drug tests in Levering, MI, are renowned for their accuracy and speed, making them a reliable choice for detecting substances.
Employers in Levering, MI, can rely on hair follicle testing to satisfy compliance with drug-free policies, providing peace of mind.