Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair tests have emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive history of alcohol and various drugs by trapping biomarkers within the growing hair strand. When gathered near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to about three months for alcohol and other substances. Hair is straightforward to gather, relatively hard to tamper with, and effortlessly shipped.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with approximately 200 hair strands (around the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for analysis and confirmation. When dealing with EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, it is advisable to use 150mg of the sample. It's recommended to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't accessible, a similar quantity of body hair can be acquired. In reference to head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The four primary stages in the laboratory handling of a drug test result encompass Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning includes the preliminary processing of a specimen into a laboratory’s system. This process confirms that the sample was sealed and sent correctly, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any remaining data entry that isn’t provided by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial rapid assessment for drug abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient way to exclude drug use for most samples, a positive result requires confirmation for it to be permissible in court. Samples showing presumptive positives in Screening need a secondary confirmation.
If a sample shows a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and set for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a concentration much lower than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug testing is the most challenging methodology to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screen result is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleaned before confirmation if necessary. The complete laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: While commonly labeled as "hair follicle tests", the analysis involves the hair strand and not the scalp's hair follicle.
In Fort Stewart, GA, hair follicle testing outshines urine testing by ensuring superior reliability and detection efficacy. The comprehensive nature of hair follicle tests allows for improved accuracy compared to traditional urine tests, offering an ideal solution for environments that prioritize thorough substance screening procedures.
Hair follicle testing boasts an extensive detection window up to 90 days, giving Fort Stewart, GA employers insight into an individual’s long-term drug use. This extended period enables a panoramic view of substance behavior over time, beneficial for long-term workplace evaluations and recruitment protocols.
Hair follicle testing significantly reduces adulteration potential, offering more dependable results in Fort Stewart, GA. The integrity of the sample recollected from hair remains intact, ensuring that causal contributors to any positive test outcomes are accurately identified, supporting trustworthy diagnostic practices.
Conveniently situated across the nation, our testing centers, including those in Fort Stewart, GA, simplify drug testing processes. Guests enjoy easy and rapid access to these facilities, eliminating logistical concerns and enhancing efficiency in obtaining necessary substance testing services.
Our straightforward and discreet hair follicle testing procedure in Fort Stewart, GA assures clients of their privacy, maximizing comfort throughout testing phases. Clients can order, partake, and obtain results seamlessly, addressing confidentiality and user-friendliness concerns.
In Fort Stewart, GA, our competitive pricing and speedy response times offer exceptional value to businesses of all scales. By balancing cost-effectiveness and efficiency, companies benefit from reliable drug testing services without unnecessary expenditure, achieving peace of mind.
Hair follicle tests offer rapid, accurate, and trustworthy results in Fort Stewart, GA. These tests excel in detecting substances with high precision, making them ideal for both personal and professional use. By analyzing the history of drug intake over an extended period, they help stakeholders make informed decisions swiftly without compromise.
In Fort Stewart, GA, hair follicle testing facilitates compliance with drug-free workplace policies, enhancing organizational safety and reducing legal exposure. Employers gain peace of mind knowing their substance screening methods align with standardized protocols, encouraging secure working environments.
