Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and drug usage by locking biomarkers in the strands of growing hair. When cut near the scalp, hair offers up to roughly a 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, challenging to alter, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) near the scalp offers 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample for screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or more than 10 panels, it is advisable to have 150mg of the sample. We suggest measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar quantity of body hair can be taken. When talking about head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair only. Body hair includes all other hair types (facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The four central steps in processing a drug test in the lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves initially incorporating a sample into the lab’s system. This step includes checking that the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not available from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening conducts a preliminary quick evaluation for substance abuse. Though Screening is an economical method to account for drug use in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed for legal acceptability. Samples that are presumptively positive in Screening need a secondary confirmation.
If a sample tests presumptively positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are drawn from hair at a concentration substantially lower than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.
Every positive screening result confirmation is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The entire lab procedure 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: Commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Lake Mary, FL, hair follicle tests offer a superior alternative to traditional urine tests. Key benefits include greater detection accuracy and reliability. Urine tests are often subject to tampering, whereas hair tests present results that are challenging to dispute, making them invaluable for employers and legal entities.
Employers in Lake Mary, FL, opt for hair follicle testing due to its extended detection window, which can reveal drug use up to 90 days prior. This long window provides a comprehensive perspective on an individual's history, offering assurance to decision-makers concerning an employee or candidate's substance habits.
Hair follicle tests in Lake Mary, FL, are designed to be tamper-resistant, minimizing the risk of adulteration. Due to the structure of the test, it is considerably difficult to alter or contaminate the sample, assisting in achieving reliable results.
This method prevents manipulation, offering dependable outcomes crucial for maintaining integrity in testing processes.
Conveniently located in Lake Mary, FL, our nationwide testing centers facilitate a quick and hassle-free experience. This flexibility ensures immediate access to required services, minimizing disruptions and facilitating seamless testing procedures.
Offering a simple and confidential process in Lake Mary, FL, the steps for ordering, testing, and receiving results are designed with privacy and ease in mind. These streamlined procedures ensure the privacy of individuals.
This confidentiality ensures comfort for all involved, addressing common privacy concerns.
With affordable pricing and fast turnaround times in Lake Mary, FL, we offer excellent value for businesses of varying scales. Our cost-effective solutions are combined with swift processing to provide timely results.
In Lake Mary, FL, the precision and speed of hair follicle tests ensure results are both fast and reliable. These tests excel in identifying substance use accurately, providing crucial data for decision-making.
The efficiency of hair testing is unmatched, offering quick insights that are crucial for employers and professionals seeking dependable outcomes.
For employers in Lake Mary, FL, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free policies, offering peace of mind through reduced legal exposure and increased workplace safety. Implementing such tests helps maintain a productive, safe work environment.
