Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has become recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair encapsulates a long-term record of alcohol and other substances by capturing biomarkers within the strands as hair grows. When cut close to the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 3-month timeline for alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is easy, tough to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch portion of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil’s thickness) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the preferred sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample size of 150mg is suggested. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is advised. If no scalp hair is accessible, a similar quantity of body hair can be taken. Note that head hair refers solely to scalp hair, whereas body hair pertains to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning encompasses the initial integration of a sample into the lab's system. This involves verifying proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any manual data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While screening offers a cost-effective way to eliminate drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screening must be validated to be legally acceptable. Any samples that test presumptively positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.
When a sample appears presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample for Extraction. At this phase, substances are drawn out from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening highly challenging to execute.
GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS is employed to confirm any positive screening outcomes. Presumptive positive samples are cleaned as necessary prior to confirmation. The complete laboratory protocol from Accessioning to Confirmation is inspected under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being often called "hair follicle tests", the test actually examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Funter, AK, surpasses traditional urine analysis through its superior detection accuracy and dependability. While urine tests are common, hair follicle exams provide a broader detection window, uncovering drug use over months. This increased reliability offers an effective alternative to conventional testing methods for employers and legal institutions.
In Funter, AK, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection period for substance usage, revealing drug patterns up to 90 days prior. This extensive window gives employers a comprehensive view of an individual's historical substance behavior, aiding significantly in hiring or employee evaluations.
Hair follicle testing in Funter, AK, significantly reduces the chances of sample tampering. The collection process ensures that the results are authentic and trustworthy, thereby providing employers with a dependable method of maintaining a safe and drug-free workplace environment.
The convenience of Accredited Drug Testing centers nationwide ensures that residents in Funter, AK, have easy access to testing services. With numerous local centers, getting tested is both quick and straightforward, eliminating stress and waiting times.
The process of hair follicle testing in Funter, AK, is designed for simplicity and confidentiality. From ordering through receiving results, the procedure ensures privacy and ease of use, addressing any concerns about discretion and accessibility for users.
Accredited Drug Testing in Funter, AK, offers competitive pricing and quick turnaround times. Businesses of all sizes benefit from the value provided, with cost-effective services that ensure timely and accurate results.
The precision of hair follicle drug testing in Funter, AK ensures dependable substance detection. This method delivers high accuracy, highlighting its capability to promptly recognize drugs and alcohol usage. Users receive reliable outcomes, making it a preferred choice for rigorous evaluations of historical substance use patterns.
Incorporating hair follicle testing in Funter, AK, helps employers comply with drug-free workplace policies. This method reduces legal liabilities and promotes overall safety, ensuring peace of mind for employers and a secure environment for all employees.
