Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a comprehensive timeline of substance intake by embedding biomarkers within the hair shaft as it grows. When collected at the scalp’s base, hair can offer roughly a 3-month detection span for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.
A sample of 1.5 inches containing around 200 hair strands (similar to the thickness of a #2 pencil) cut near the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is suggested. We advise weighing the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a comparable quantity of body hair can be used. When we mention head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair covers all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test outcome encompasses four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the sample’s initial integration into a lab’s system, ensuring it was correctly sealed and shipped, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any extra data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails a rapid preliminary inspection for drugs of abuse. Screening serves as a cost-efficient method to exclude drug use in most samples; however, a positive screening result necessitates verification to be valid in legal proceedings. Any samples preliminarily positive during Screening require further confirmation.
If Screening indicates a sample as preliminarily positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations much lower than those in other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluids), highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.
Confirmation of any screening positive result is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples are cleansed prior to confirmation as required. The entire laboratory sequence from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under CAP's (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Emmet, AR: Hair follicle tests boast superior detection accuracy and reliability compared to traditional urine tests. With an extended detection period, hair testing offers a wider window of detection and minimizes chances of tampering, ensuring integrity and trust in results.
Extended Detection Window in Emmet, AR: Hair follicle drug tests extend the detection window to up to 90 days, giving employers insight into an individual's long-term substance patterns. This method ensures a more detailed understanding of an applicant's or employee's history.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Emmet, AR: Hair follicle examinations greatly mitigate the likelihood of sample alteration, delivering results that employers and legal entities can depend on. This approach reassures organizations that the outcomes are genuine and unaltered.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Emmet, AR: Accredited Drug Testing provides a network of facilities nationwide, as well as locally in Emmet, AR, making access to hair follicle testing seamless and uncomplicated, ensuring minimal disruption for businesses and individuals alike.
Simple, Confidential Process in Emmet, AR: Our procedures for scheduling, conducting, and retrieving test outcomes are straightforward and confidential, catering to privacy concerns while ensuring ease of use, making the hair testing experience stress-free in Emmet, AR.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Emmet, AR: Our competitive pricing alongside rapid processing times offers exceptional value to businesses, regardless of size, in Emmet, AR, ensuring you receive reliable results swiftly without financial strains.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Emmet, AR: Hair follicle drug testing offers superb precision and prompt results, efficiently identifying substance usage. With our testing center, we ensure that each participant receives accurate findings swiftly, making it a preferred option in Emmet, AR.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Emmet, AR: Utilizing hair follicle testing helps maintain workplace drug-free policies, diminishing legal liabilities and promoting a safer environment. This testing approach ensures companies adhere to and enforce their safety standards effectively.
