Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair evaluations have emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended historical perspective on drug and alcohol use by embedding biomarkers within the strands of the growing hair. When taken from near the scalp, hair can indicate alcohol and drug use for up to nearly a 3-month period. Hair is straightforward to collect, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches containing roughly 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for testing and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is recommended to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent amount of body hair can be taken. When mentioning head hair, it refers strictly to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The primary steps in the laboratory processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning consists of initially inputting a sample into a laboratory’s database. This process includes ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and transported, assigning an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails a preliminary rapid check for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to negate drug use for the majority of samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be legally valid. Samples deemed presumptively positive in Screening necessitate an additional confirmation.
When a sample shows presumptive positivity during the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample for Preparation for Extraction. This stage involves recovering drugs from hair at a significantly lower concentration than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening one of the most complex methodologies.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positivity are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is reviewed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing outperforms Urine Testing in East Echols, GA? The superior detection accuracy and reliability of hair testing make it a better alternative to urine tests. Hair follicle tests efficiently track substance use over a prolonged timeframe, eliminating the short-term limitations often associated with standard urine tests and providing clearer results.
Offering a longer detection window, hair follicle testing in East Echols, GA, reveals drug use over a span of up to 90 days. This provides employers with a comprehensive view into an individual's substance habits, enhancing decision-making processes and ensuring a reliable history of applicant or employee substance use.
The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests in East Echols, GA, ensures the integrity of the results. By significantly reducing the risk of sample adulteration, hair testing offers unquestionable reliability and minimizes the chances of dishonest manipulation, securing accurate results for employers and policymakers alike.
The numerous convenient testing locations available in East Echols, GA, and across the Nation make accessing testing services quick and hassle-free. Whether locally or elsewhere, our centers offer seamless access to testing, ensuring you receive timely and efficient assistance with minimal inconvenience.
The process for hair follicle testing in East Echols, GA, is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and receiving the results, every step ensures privacy and ease of use. This streamlined approach addresses any privacy concerns while making the drug testing procedure stress-free and straightforward.
In East Echols, GA, our affordable pricing paired with fast turnaround times provides exceptional value to companies of any size. Competitive pricing and efficient result delivery ensure that businesses receive excellent service, enhancing their operations without burdening budgets or delaying decision-making processes.
In East Echols, GA, the precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests are unmatched. They deliver results with high accuracy, significantly reducing the chances of false negatives or positives. Hair tests quickly and reliably detect substance use, making them the ideal choice for employers and authorities needing to make informed decisions based on accurate data.
Employers in East Echols, GA, benefit from hair follicle testing through enhanced compliance with drug-free workplace policies. These tests reduce legal risks and promote a safer working environment. Implementing hair drug tests gives peace of mind to businesses, assuring adherence to regulations and a commitment to safety.
