Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective means for identifying substance use involving drugs and alcohol. Hair captures a comprehensive history of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers within its strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, it offers an approximate three-month detection period for detecting alcohol and drug use. Hair collection is straightforward, resisting tampering, and easily transportable.
Collecting a 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands, equivalent to a #2 pencil's width, close to the scalp yields around 100mg, which is the optimal amount for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg is advisable. It's recommended to verify specimen weight with a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent volume of body hair can be sourced. The term head hair refers specifically to scalp hair while body hair encompasses all other varieties (like facial or axillary hair).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test is structured into four major phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the initial integration of a specimen into a laboratory’s system. This includes ensuring the sample’s seal and shipment are intact, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry excluded by an electronic chain of custody mechanism.
Screening is a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. Though it's economically efficient to exclude drug use for most specimens, a positive result in Screening requires confirmation to be legally valid. Any samples showing presumptive positive results during Screening undergo a secondary validation.
When a Screening yields a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. This stage involves retrieving drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a more challenging method to execute.
Confirmation of any positive results from Screening is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples showing presumptive positive results are cleansed before Confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory journey, from Accessioning to Confirmation, complies with the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly termed "hair follicle tests", these analyses actually examine the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Orange City, FL, hair follicle testing surpasses urine tests by offering heightened detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests that can only detect recent drug use, hair tests provide a comprehensive view of an individual’s drug history. This method is favored for its superior detection period and reliability.
Hair follicle tests in Orange City, FL, offer an extended detection window. Capable of identifying drug use for up to 90 days, this method provides employers with a broad understanding of an applicant's or employee's substance usage history, offering valuable insights for informed hiring or employment decisions.
In Orange City, FL, hair follicle testing stands out due to its tamper-resistant nature. This testing method considerably reduces the chances of sample adulteration, offering dependable and unquestionable results. Employers can rely on these tests for their integrity and precision in substance use detection.
In Orange City, FL, convenient access to testing is ensured with our nationwide and local testing centers. These centers provide quick, straightforward, and hassle-free testing services for all, simplifying the process and making drug testing accessible to everyone in need.
Testing in Orange City, FL, is simple and confidential. Our process for ordering, conducting, and receiving results is designed to alleviate concerns about privacy and ease of use, maintaining confidentiality and providing a user-friendly experience for all involved.
Affordable pricing and quick turnaround are hallmarks of our drug testing services in Orange City, FL. We offer competitive rates with fast results delivery, ensuring outstanding value and peace of mind for businesses irrespective of their size.
The hair follicle drug test in Orange City, FL, offers exceptional precision and speed. Renowned for its accuracy in identifying substance use, this method provides reliable results. The structured testing setup enables quick processing, yielding fast outcomes that employers trust to make informed decisions.
Employers in Orange City, FL, find peace of mind with hair follicle testing, which assures compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method mitigates legal risks and enhances workplace safety, supporting employers in maintaining a secure and compliant work environment.
