Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective means of identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures long-term evidence of alcohol and drug use by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair. When obtained near the scalp, hair can present a detection timeframe of up to three months for alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and easily transportable.
A sample of 1.5 inches, consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil’s width) from the scalp will yield 100mg, which is the optimal amount for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and evaluations surpassing 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. If scalp hair is absent, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. When we mention head hair, we are specifically referring to scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other types of hair (facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The primary procedures in the laboratory assessment of a drug test involve Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning incorporates the preliminary handling of a sample within a laboratory’s framework. This covers verifying the sample’s proper sealing and transportation, generating a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completing additional data entry not included by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient method to negate drug use in most samples, a positive screen requires verification to be viable in legal proceedings. Any samples indicating presumptive positives in Screening necessitate secondary confirmation.
Should a sample appear presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepped for Extraction. This phase extracts drugs from hair at a considerably lower concentration than other methodologies (such as urine or oral fluid), which renders hair drug screening the most challenging to perform.
A confirmation of any positive screening result is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples showing presumptive positives undergo washing before confirmation if needed. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standard and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: While the term "hair follicle test" is frequently used, the test actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle situated under the scalp.
In Ali Chukson, AZ, hair follicle testing offers several advantages over traditional urine testing. With superior detection accuracy and reliability, hair tests detect drug use over extended periods, providing employers with comprehensive insights. This method's capability to uncover long-term usage patterns is a significant advantage over urine testing, which generally only reveals recent substance intake.
Featuring an extended detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Ali Chukson, AZ, furnishes employers with a broad view of an individual's substance history. Unlike other testing methods, this option allows for the assessment of drug use over a more extended timeframe, providing valuable insights into repetitive or habitual use of substances.
Hair follicle tests conducted in Ali Chukson, AZ, offer a tamper-resistant testing method, effectively minimizing the possibility of sample adulteration. The nature of these tests ensures collected samples remain untouched, providing reliable and trustworthy results, crucial for accurate assessments of an individual's drug use history.
With convenient nationwide testing locations, including Ali Chukson, AZ, our centers make drug testing swift and straightforward. Ensuring easy access, individuals are provided with timely solutions without unnecessary hassle, benefiting from a vast network that reduces wait times and streamlines the testing process.
In Ali Chukson, AZ, our hair follicle testing promises a simple, confidential process. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, every step maintains privacy and ease of use, addressing any privacy concerns and providing peace of mind for all parties involved.
Offering affordable pricing and fast turnaround in Ali Chukson, AZ, our hair follicle testing services cater to companies of varying sizes. With competitive rates and efficient processing times, clients are assured of excellent value and prompt results, enhancing decision-making ease.
Hair follicle drug tests in Ali Chukson, AZ, deliver fast, accurate, and reliable drug use detection. These tests can precisely identify substance usage patterns with unmatched accuracy. In addition to their notable precision, these tests quicken the process of recognizing substance abuse, ensuring timely results that assist in making informed decisions.
By integrating hair follicle testing, employers in Ali Chukson, AZ, can ensure compliance and peace of mind. This testing process supports a drug-free workplace, lowering legal risks and promoting safety. Employers gain the security of well-documented drug testing processes, fostering a healthy and safe work environment.
