Accredited Drug Testing offers comprehensive hair follicle drug testing in Ridgway, Colorado. If you're in need of a hair drug or alcohol screening, Accredited Drug Testing is an expert in hair analysis, and we provide testing locations throughout all cities nationwide capable of conducting a hair test. Generally, at least 1.5 to 2 inches of hair from your head's crown or body is needed. Hair testing can identify drugs, alcohol/ETG, or offer other personalized testing solutions.
Recently, hair follicle drug testing has become a more common practice in drug screenings. Many workplaces, judicial systems, and Substance Abuse specialists now prefer hair drug tests over traditional urine tests. Employers with zero-tolerance drug policies, courts, and probation-related scenarios favor this method. The main advantage of hair follicle testing is its extended detection timeline, typically up to 90 days, observed during collection, and hard to tamper with. Yet, for detecting drug use within the past 5 days, urine tests remain the most accurate.
* You must register by phone or online to receive your donor pass/registration prior to proceeding to the testing center. You must bring a valid government issued ID along with the registration/barcode number which was sent to you by email.
When you're searching for hair drug testing near me or hair drug testing locations, we provide a simple and convenient process to find a drug and alcohol testing location near you that is certified to provide all of your drug and alcohol testing needs.
Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a historical record of alcohol and various drugs by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When clipped near the scalp, it offers a detection range of up to three months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, less prone to tampering, and easy to send for testing.
A 1.5-inch section containing roughly 200 hair strands (similar to the girth of a #2 pencil) adjacent to the scalp provides 100mg, which is the prime sample size for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or those exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is suggested. In cases where scalp hair is absent, an equivalent body hair sample can be obtained. References to head hair indicate scalp hair only, whereas body hair encompasses all other types (such as facial and axillary hair).
Process Overview
The process of laboratory drug testing encompasses four major stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning includes the preliminary handling of the sample within the laboratory’s system. This step verifies the proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigns a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completes any missing data entry not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening checks for drug abuse indicators with a rapid initial assessment. Although Screening is economical for eliminating drug use in most samples, a positive result must be verified to be valid in legal settings. Each presumptively positive sample from Screening mandates a confirmatory procedure.
For samples with presumptive positive results during Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are extracted from the hair in much smaller amounts compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), contributing to the complexity of hair drug testing.
Confirmation for any positive Screening result is accomplished using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Necessary or programmed washes are done on all presumptive positive samples prior to confirmation. The complete laboratory journey from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes scrutiny against both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair requirements and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite the term "hair follicle tests", the procedure evaluates the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
In Ridgway, CO, hair follicle testing triumphs over urine testing due to its superior detection capabilities. Where urine tests often miss prolonged substance use, hair tests provide an exhaustive screening. This method offers a more comprehensive and credible landscape of an individual's drug history, ensuring accurate results employers can rely on.
With a detection window extending up to 90 days, hair follicle testing offers employers in Ridgway, CO, a well-detailed insight into an individual's substance use history. Unlike shorter-duration testing methods, these tests reveal extended patterns of drug use, enabling a more complete assessment of applicants or employees.
Hair follicle tests in Ridgway, CO, boast a tamper-resistant nature, significantly reducing the risk of sample adulteration. Their robust design offers unquestionable accuracy, ensuring results that employers can trust. This solidity in testing methodology is crucial for maintaining integrity and confidence in drug screening outcomes.
Our testing centers, positioned nationwide including in Ridgway, CO, offer unparalleled convenience. With easily accessible locations, we ensure swift and effortless access to comprehensive drug testing services. This network supports quick and convenient testing, making us a leader in national drug testing solutions.
In Ridgway, CO, our hair follicle drug testing process is straightforward and confidential. We prioritize your privacy, offering a seamless experience from ordering to results. This ensures peace of mind for individuals and employers, knowing their information is secure and handled with discreet professionalism.
Our competitive pricing structures in Ridgway, CO, combined with swift turnaround times, provide excellent value for businesses of all sizes. We strive to offer not just affordability but also rapid results, ensuring that employers receive both high-quality testing services and efficient service delivery.
Hair follicle drug tests in Ridgway, CO, stand out for their speed and unwavering accuracy. These tests are adept at precisely identifying substance usage, making them an ideal choice for those seeking dependable results. The swift processes ensure that individuals and employers receive results promptly without sacrificing reliability.
Employers in Ridgway, CO, gain peace of mind with hair follicle testing, ensuring adherence to workplace drug-free policies. This testing method not only minimizes legal risks but also bolsters workplace safety by delivering dependable and regulation-compliant results that align with company objectives.