Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly valued as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term history of substance use by trapping biomarkers in the fibers of the hair as it grows. Collecting hair near the scalp allows for a detection period of up to about 3 months for alcohol and other substances. Hair samples are easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of around 200 hair strands (about as thick as a #2 pencil) from near the scalp will yield 100mg, which is optimal for testing. For tests like EtG, additional panels, or those exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. We suggest weighing the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unobtainable, an equivalent amount of body hair is an alternative. "Head hair" signifies only scalp hair, whereas "body hair" includes any other type (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The key steps in the laboratory analysis of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step for processing a sample within a lab's system. This consists of verifying that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any necessary data entry not done by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-effective method to exclude drug use in most samples, any positive screen results must be confirmed to be legally acceptable. Samples with a presumptive positive in Screening require a secondary confirmation.
For samples that are presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. Drugs are then extracted from the hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing one of the most challenging methodologies.
Confirmation of any positive screen is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with a presumptive positive result are washed before confirmation if necessary. The entire laboratory procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests," the test actually examines the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Extended Detection Window in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Simple, Confidential Process in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Lac du Flambeau, WI:
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Lac du Flambeau, WI: