Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Chamblee, GA

What it is, How it works

Utilizing hair testing is increasingly recognized as a vital method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a historical record of substance use by trapping biomarkers within the fibers as hair grows. A sample taken near the scalp can offer a 3-month detection period for substances. Hair collection is straightforward, less prone to tampering, and convenient for shipping.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil's thickness) taken closest to the scalp is needed to gather 100mg, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For tests including EtG, additional panels over 10, 150mg of hair is advised. It is suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, body hair in equivalent quantity can be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifies scalp hair alone. Body hair refers to all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The principal stages in processing a drug test result in the laboratory include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the primary integration of a specimen into the lab's systems by verifying proper sealing and shipping, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data input if not already provided via an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening represents an initial assessment to identify drugs of abuse. While Screening is cost-effective to exclude drug use in most samples, further confirmation is required for court admissibility for any positive screen. Samples showing presumptive positives in Screening require additional confirmation.

If a sample indicates a presumptive positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen for the Extraction stage. During Extraction, substances are retrieved from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging to perform.

Confirmed screening results are achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples indicating presumptive positives undergo washing before confirmation. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, significantly longer than the timeframe available with urine tests.
• Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is highly difficult, which enhances result accuracy.
• Shows usage history: It portrays a pattern of drug use over time, rather than just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and personal variations in hair growth can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although sometimes labeled as "hair follicle tests", the procedure analyzes the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Testing Surpasses Urine Analysis whenever reliability and detection scope are priorities in Chamblee, GA.

Compared to urine tests, hair follicle tests boast longer detection windows, ensuring persistent accuracy over time, ideal for zero-tolerance standards.

Extended Detection Window

Long Detection Periods provide employers in Chamblee with a detailed substance use history through hair follicle testing.

Analyze drug use over 90 days; this extended window ensures a thorough evaluation of substance history—enabling informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Guaranteed Tamper-Proof Testing enhances result integrity in Chamblee, ensuring reliability and authenticity.

With hair follicle tests, concerns of sample adulteration are minimized as the collection process is safeguarded against tampering.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accessible Testing Centers Nationwide, including local facilities in Chamblee, streamline and simplify the drug testing process.

This widespread availability highlights how easy it is to access quick and convenient testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

Easy and Confidential Testing in Chamblee makes the hair follicle testing process straightforward and private.

From booking a test to receiving results, the procedure is designed to ensure ease of use and address any privacy concerns.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive Pricing and Timely Results in Chamblee ensure businesses receive monumental value from hair testing solutions.

The strategic pricing and fast turnaround demonstrate that quality drug testing services don’t mean sacrificing cost-efficiency.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast and Accurate Hair Tests in Chamblee offer unmatched precision and reliability in detecting drug use.

The speed of hair follicle testing ensures rapid results without compromising accuracy, a necessity when timely and precise evaluation is crucial.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring Compliance through hair follicle testing in Chamblee ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies.

Such testing provides peace of mind, reducing legal exposure and promoting a secure, substance-free work environment.

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