Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective means to detect drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a prolonged history of substance intake by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When captured near the scalp, hair offers up to roughly a 3-month period of detection for substances like alcohol and drugs. The collection of hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to ship.
A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches, consisting of around 200 strands (approximately the diameter of a #2 pencil) taken near the scalp, typically provides 100mg of hair — the optimal amount for both screening and verification. For EtG, supplementary tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is suggested. We advise using a jeweler’s scale for accuracy. If head hair isn’t accessible, a similar quantity of body hair can be gathered. “Head hair†specifically indicates scalp hair; “body hair†encompasses all other hair types (such as facial or axillary hair).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test includes four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning denotes the initial handling of a sample within a lab's framework. This phase involves confirming the correct sealing and shipment of the sample, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any other necessary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody.
Screening is an initial rapid assessment for drug misuse. While it is a cost-efficient method to dismiss drug intake across most samples, a positive finding requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples identified as presumptive positives during Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.
In situations where Screening yields a presumptive positive, further hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. During this stage, drugs are derived from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluids), contributing to the complexity of performing hair drug screening.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples flagged as presumptive positives are cleaned before confirmation if required. Each phase of the lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes scrutiny under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination actually focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle underneath the scalp
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Lake Holiday, IL
In the balance between hair and urine tests, hair testing prevails in Lake Holiday. Benefits like superior detection accuracy and a longer detection window contribute to its rising preference over traditional urine tests. Employers notice how reliable hair tests are, showing a clearer picture of substance use patterns.
Extended Detection Window in Lake Holiday, IL
Hair follicle tests offer unparalleled insights into an individual's substance use history. With a detection span reaching up to 90 days, these tests provide employers with a thorough overview of an applicant's or an employee’s drug use, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of their history.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Lake Holiday, IL
Hair follicle testing in Lake Holiday stands out for its tamper-resistant nature, significantly minimizing sample adulteration risks. This ensures that results are trustworthy and beyond dispute, providing employers and other institutions with the assurance of integrity in their drug testing procedures.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Options in Lake Holiday, IL
With our expansive network of testing centers nationwide, including in Lake Holiday, accessing drug testing services is seamless. This ensures local residents and businesses enjoy quick and hassle-free service, maintaining the quality and ease they require for drug testing.
Simple, Confidential Process in Lake Holiday, IL
Our hair follicle testing process in Lake Holiday is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering to testing and result receipt, the streamlined process is discreet, addressing privacy concerns and ensuring a user-friendly experience for all clients.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Lake Holiday, IL
In Lake Holiday, our drug testing services offer excellent value through competitive pricing and swift turnaround times. Catering to companies of all sizes, our pricing structure ensures that clients receive quality services without compromising cost efficiency.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Lake Holiday, IL
Our hair follicle testing in Lake Holiday focuses on delivering high accuracy and swift results. This testing method is unmatched in detecting substance use effectively, boasting precision combined with impressive speed. The reliable nature of these tests makes them an optimal choice for fast drugs detection with confidence.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Lake Holiday, IL
Employers in Lake Holiday can benefit from hair follicle testing by ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method not only reduces legal vulnerabilities but also enhances workplace safety, providing peace of mind and a reliable framework for maintaining a zero-tolerance policy.
