Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is now recognized as a robust means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of substances by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When sampled near the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe of up to about three months for alcohol and various drugs. It's easy to collect, fairly resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with roughly 200 hair strands (close in size to a #2 pencil) from the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the hair specimen is advisable. We suggest weighing the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If hair from the scalp is not available, an equivalent volume of body hair might be used. When mentioning head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (e.g., facial, axillary).
Process Overview
Laboratory processing of a drug test result consists of four fundamental steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step where a sample is processed into a lab's system. This step verifies that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigns it a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any necessary additional data entry if not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening implements a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While this cost-effective method can rule out drug use on most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be valid in a legal context. Any samples deemed presumptively positive in Screening need further confirmation.
If a sample tests positive in the Screening stage, more hair is extracted from the initial specimen for the Extraction process. Drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging to perform.
Confirmation of any positive screening results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are washed as needed. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", these tests analyze the hair strand itself rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Lockesburg, AR, stands out for its superior detection accuracy compared to urine tests.
One of the significant advantages of hair follicle testing in Lockesburg, AR, is its extended detection window. Employers gain insight into an individual’s substance history, up to 90 days, offering a comprehensive view of their behavioral patterns.
In Lockesburg, AR, hair follicle tests provide a robust, tamper-resistant testing method. This minimizes the risk of fake samples or deliberate adulteration.
With readily accessible testing locations nationwide, including in Lockesburg, AR, convenience and accessibility are hallmarks of our service.
The process of hair follicle testing in Lockesburg, AR, is simple and confidential, ensuring that your privacy is respected.
By offering affordable pricing and fast turnaround times in Lockesburg, AR, we ensure the process delivers excellent value.
In Lockesburg, AR, hair follicle drug tests offer fast, accurate, and reliable results that are second to none. The precision of these tests surpasses traditional methods, providing employers with trustworthy data on substance use. With high accuracy, hair testing is indispensable for substance detection.
Faster and more specific than other methods, hair tests ensure your drug testing process is both efficient and dependable.
Employers in Lockesburg, AR, benefit from compliance with drug-free policies by using hair follicle testing. This method helps reduce legal risks while enhancing safety.
