Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a comprehensive timeline of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the strands during growth. When sampled near the scalp, it can provide an approximate 3-month window for detecting alcohol and drugs. The collection process is straightforward, with challenges to tamper, and facilitates easy shipment.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with about 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, supplementary tests, or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg specimen is advisable. It's suggested to utilize a jeweler’s scale for weighing. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, a similar amount of body hair can be used. "Head hair" strictly denotes scalp hair, while "body hair" pertains to all other types (like facial or axillary).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result includes four steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails integrating a sample into the laboratory's system. It verifies proper sealing and shipment, assigns a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completes any necessary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody.
Screening serves as an initial assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a budget-friendly approach for excluding drug usage from most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples deemed positive during Screening require secondary verification.
Should a sample test positive at the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen for Extraction. This phase involves retrieving drugs from hair at concentrations lower than those in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening exceptionally challenging.
Confirmation of any positive screening result uses methods such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as needed. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes reviews under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO/IEC 17025 standard accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the focus is on analyzing the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
When comparing hair follicle testing to urine tests in Perla, AR, hair tests outperform by providing unmatched accuracy and reliability. They are designed to detect a wider array of substances, offering a comprehensive view of an individual's drug history. Unlike urine tests, hair analysis isn't affected by short-term abstinence, ensuring more accurate results.
Hair follicle testing provides an extended detection window, up to 90 days, offering employers in Perla, AR, a thorough insight into a candidate or employee's substance use history. This is significantly longer than traditional methods, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of long-term habits.
Hair follicle testing is renowned for its tamper-resistant nature in Perla, AR. The method nearly eliminates the potential for sample adulteration, ensuring reliability. By minimizing the risk of tampering, these tests provide results that are dependable and unquestionable.
Accredited Drug Testing's extensive network of testing centers nationwide, including local sites in Perla, AR, ensures easy and hassle-free access to drug testing services. This availability makes it convenient for individuals and companies looking to conduct these tests promptly.
In Perla, AR, the process of ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle tests is straightforward and confidential. The emphasis on privacy ensures that individuals can engage in drug testing services without concerns about personal information being compromised, providing ease of use.
Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing and fast turnaround in Perla, AR. Companies of all sizes benefit from the cost-effective solutions and swift delivery of results, which reinforce excellent value and peace of mind in drug testing services.
The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests are unmatched in Perla, AR. They deliver high accuracy in identifying substance use over a prolonged timeframe, providing results swiftly. This makes them a preferred choice for employers seeking accurate and timely drug testing solutions.
For employers in Perla, AR, hair follicle testing provides compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This practice minimizes legal risks and enhances overall workplace safety, offering peace of mind that standards are being maintained effectively and efficiently.
