Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair examinations have gained recognition as an effective method for identifying the use of alcohol and drugs. Hair offers a prolonged account of drug and alcohol consumption by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When taken directly from the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use for up to a quarter of a year. Hair is easy to obtain, less prone to tampering, and straightforward to transport.
An optimal examination requires a 1.5-inch hair sample consisting of roughly 200 hairs (comparable to the diameter of a #2 pencil) from near the scalp, providing 100mg — ideal for screening and validating. For EtG, additional analyses, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is preferable. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the hair is advised. If scalp hair is not an option, an equivalent volume of body hair is acceptable. By scalp hair, we exclusively mean hair from the head. Body hair pertains to all other hair (facial, axillary, and so on).
Process Overview
The lab process for analyzing a drug test sample comprises four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the preliminary step where a sample is logged into the lab’s system. This includes ensuring the sample’s proper sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry omitted by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial rapid evaluation for drugs of abuse. Despite its cost-effectiveness for excluding drug presence in most samples, verified confirmation of positive screens is necessary for legal acceptance. Any samples that show a presumptive positive in Screening must undergo a secondary verification.
Should a sample yield a presumed positive during Screening, additional hair is obtained from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at concentrations significantly lower than other methods (examples include urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most complex method to manage.
Verification of any positive screening outcome is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before confirmation, all presumptively positive samples undergo washing if needed. The entire lab procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and ensured by ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests", the focus is on assessing the hair strand, rather than examining the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Elizabeth, CO, hair follicle testing outperforms traditional urine tests, offering superior detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine samples, hair maintains a record of drug use for a longer period, making it more efficient in revealing consistent substance use patterns.
Employers benefit from the robust accuracy of hair tests as they enforce zero-tolerance drug policies. This method is less prone to manipulation, ensuring integrity in testing.
The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Elizabeth, CO, spans up to 90 days, providing employers valuable insights into an individual’s substance history. This helps to ascertain a comprehensive behavioral profile.
Numerous substances can be detected over this prolonged period, offering a thorough overview of potential drug usage, aiding in informed hiring or monitoring decisions.
Hair follicle tests in Elizabeth, CO, greatly minimize tampering risks, ensuring samples remain accurate and trustworthy. This provides reliable results that employers can be confident in, safeguarding the integrity of the testing process.
The methodology behind hair testing renders it nearly fraud-proof, which is particularly beneficial for organizations wanting to uphold stringent drug-free polices.
Accredited Drug Testing offers convenient nationwide testing locations, including facilities in Elizabeth, CO. This ensures straightforward and hassle-free access to hair follicle testing services across the U.S.
Local centers allow for swift scheduling, minimizing disruption and enabling quick turnaround for both individuals and businesses alike.
In Elizabeth, CO, the process of ordering and conducting hair follicle tests is simple and confidential. Patients can expect an easy-to-navigate system, seamless testing, and prompt receipt of results, all while ensuring complete privacy.
This discrete process not only addresses privacy concerns but also enhances user experience by simplifying the entire procedure from start to finish.
With affordable pricing and fast turnaround times in Elizabeth, CO, Accredited Drug Testing offers great value. Companies of all sizes benefit from competitive prices without compromising on the speed and reliability of results.
The financial and operational efficiency provided by our services makes us a smart choice for employers seeking cost-effective testing solutions.
Hair follicle drug tests in Elizabeth, CO, offer fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests boast high precision in identifying substance use, ensuring that employers receive the most dependable information.
The speed at which hair follicle tests deliver results is unmatched, providing peace of mind with prompt and trustworthy data. This efficiency is crucial for businesses needing quick employment decisions.
Employers in Elizabeth, CO, enjoy peace of mind and compliance with hair follicle testing, ensuring adherence to drug-free workplace policies. This not only mitigates legal risks but also enhances overall workplace safety.
The assurance of compliance not only protects the organization legally but also supports a productive and safe working environment.
