Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is considered an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged record of alcohol and drug exposure by capturing biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair offers an approximate 3-month detection duration for alcohol and drug presence. Hair is easy to gather, challenging to tamper, and straightforward to send.
A hair sample of 1.5 inches, amounting to around 200 strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, yields 100mg, which is perfect for both screening and confirming. For EtG, supplementary tests, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, a specimen quantity of 150mg is advised. It's best to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unobtainable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be utilized. References to head hair pertain strictly to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The core steps in lab processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step of sample entry into the lab system. It involves confirming proper sealing and shipment of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any needed data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening is a preliminary rapid check for drug substances. Although it’s a cost-effective way to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen must be validated for legal admissibility. Samples preliminarily positive in Screening necessitate additional confirmation.
When a sample is preliminarily positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction, where drugs are isolated at much lower levels than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method.
Confirmation of any positive screening is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is checked under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being called "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle below the scalp
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Clifton Park, NY
Extended Detection Window in Clifton Park, NY
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Simple, Confidential Process in Clifton Park, NY
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Clifton Park, NY
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Clifton Park, NY
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