Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
The practice of hair testing is now recognized as an effective means to detect drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as a repository of extended behavioral patterns concerning alcohol and drug usage, thanks to biomarkers being integrated into growing hair filaments. If the hair is taken from the scalp area, it can reveal as much as a three-month timeline for detecting alcohol and substances. The process of collecting hair is straightforward, tampering is somewhat challenging, and the samples are easily transportable.
A 1.5-inch section consisting of around 200 hair strands (approximately comparable to a #2 pencil's thickness) closest to the scalp offers 100mg of hair, optimizing it for evaluation and verification. For EtG enhancements, and/or analyses exceeding 10 categories, a 150mg amount is advisable. It's suggested to determine the weight of the hair using a jeweler’s scale. In cases where scalp hair is missing, a comparable quantity of body hair can be collected. Head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, while body hair pertains to all other varieties such as facial and axillary hair.
Process Overview
The key phases in laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning encompasses the initial intake of a specimen into a lab's process. This part of the process verifies the proper sealing and dispatch of the sample, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handles additional data entry tasks that are not part of an automated chain of custody.
The screening process performs an initial evaluation for substance misuse. Although screening is an economical approach to dismiss drug use in numerous samples, a positive finding needs further validation to stand in a legal setting. Samples that yield a presumptive positive result during Screening must undergo further verification.
During the screening phase, if a specimen tests presumptively positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This involves extracting drugs from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (i.e. urine or oral fluid assays), contributing to hair drug screening being deemed one of the most complex methodologies to execute.
Verification of any positive screening outcome is achieved by means of GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Each sample that is presumptive positive receives a cleansing before the confirmed testing as needed. The comprehensive laboratory pipeline from Accessioning to Confirmation is overseen adhering to the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification plus the compliance to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly known as "hair follicle tests", the procedure actually analyzes the hair shaft, not the follicle buried beneath the scalp.
Advantageous Hair Testing versus Urine Testing in West Salmon Falls, ID Hair testing offers superior detection accuracy and reliability compared to traditional urine tests. It provides a broader detection timeframe, ensuring no recent usage is overlooked. Hair analysis is less prone to tampering, making it a trustworthy choice for employers requiring stringent drug-free workplace policies.
Long Detection Period in West Salmon Falls, ID With a detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle tests offer a more extended look into an individual's drug history than other methods. This grants employers the insight needed for thoughtful hiring and workforce management decisions, ensuring clarity on prospective or current employees' past drug use.
Secure and Tamper-Resistant Testing in West Salmon Falls, ID Hair follicle tests are highly resistant to adulteration, offering reliable and unquestionable results. This tamper-proof nature ensures that trickery or manipulation is nearly impossible, providing valid data for employers and legal bodies to base their assessments on.
Accessible Testing Locations in West Salmon Falls, ID Our network of testing centers across the nation guarantees ease of access to drug testing services. This nationwide availability ensures that clients benefit from convenient, prompt, and hassle-free testing solutions, whether they are in large urban centers or smaller locales.
Simplified and Private Testing Process in West Salmon Falls, ID The process for ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle test results is straightforward and confidential. We prioritize clients' privacy and ease of use, addressing any concerns regarding the personal nature of testing and the security of their information.
Cost-Effectiveness and Quick Turnaround in West Salmon Falls, ID With competitive pricing and rapid result delivery, we ensure hair follicle testing is accessible and provides value to businesses of all sizes. Our services give companies the peace of mind needed in managing their workforce's health standards effectively.
Precision and Quick Outcomes in West Salmon Falls, ID Hair follicle drug testing delivers fast, accurate, and reliable results. Its precision ensures a comprehensive understanding of substance use over time. The testing procedure is designed to efficiently detect substances with great accuracy, allowing individuals and entities to make informed decisions quickly and confidently.
Employer Assurance and Compliance in West Salmon Falls, ID Hair follicle testing aids employers in maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal risks. It enhances the safety of the work environment by upholding the integrity and health standards expected in professional spaces, bolstering employer assurance.
