Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is recognized as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It captures a long-term record of substances like alcohol and drugs by encasing biomarkers in the fibers of the maturing hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer close to a 3-month detection period for such substances. The collection process is simple, hard to alter, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch section of approximately 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or analyses above 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It's best to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair not be available, an equivalent amount of body hair may be gathered. Reference to head hair strictly pertains to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processes involved in obtaining a drug test result encompass four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the preliminary handling of a sample into a lab’s system. This step includes thorough verification of the sample for proper sealing and shipping, the assignment of a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry not provided by electronic chain of custody systems.
Screening is a preliminary rapid evaluation for substance abuse. Screening is cost-efficient for excluding drug use in the vast majority of samples; however, results indicating positivity on a screen require confirmation to be legally defensible. Presumptive positive samples in Screening necessitate an additional confirmation step.
Should a sample exhibit presumptive positivity in Screening, extra hair is taken from the initial sample for the Extraction stage. Here, drugs are retrieved from hair at significantly lower concentrations than alternative methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing one of the most challenging methodologies.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Samples that are presumptively positive are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning through Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Monticello, IL outperforms urine tests through its superior detection capabilities. The unparalleled accuracy makes hair testing a more reliable choice for employers looking for comprehensive substance screening.
Broad Detection: Unlike urine tests, hair follicle tests capture drug use history over extended periods, offering a comprehensive evaluation far beyond the limitations of traditional methods.
Hair follicle tests in Monticello, IL offer an extended detection window of up to 90 days. This broad timespan captures a wide array of substance use, providing employers with a thorough understanding of an employee's drug history.
Comprehensive Insight: The extended period ensures that any substance use is recorded, aiding employers in making informed decisions on a candidate's drug history.
Monticello, IL benefits from hair follicle testing as a tamper-resistant alternative to other methods. The robustness of this test significantly diminishes the chances of sample adulteration or substitution, ensuring integrity in results.
These tests are difficult to manipulate, offering reliable outcomes that bolster confidence in screening processes for both individuals and organizations.
Offering convenience, Monticello, IL hosts one of many nationwide testing centers, making hair follicle testing accessible and easy to arrange. Our centers provide a seamless process, offering quick and hassle-free access to testing services.
Nationwide reach ensures that testing is available whenever and wherever needed, facilitating a straightforward, stress-free experience for our clients.
Monticello, IL residents can enjoy a simple and confidential hair follicle testing process. Ensuring privacy and ease, our approach simplifies ordering, taking, and receiving results.
Privacy and Accessibility: Our methods address concerns about confidentiality while offering a user-friendly experience, enhancing trust in the testing process for individuals and organizations alike.
Accredited Drug Testing in Monticello, IL offers competitive pricing and swift turnaround times. Our cost-effective solution provides excellent value without compromising on quality or speed of result delivery.
Economic Advantage: Companies of all sizes benefit from our affordable pricing structure, ensuring budget-friendly testing without sacrificing speed or reliability in results.
In Monticello, IL, hair follicle drug testing provides rapid, dependable results, making it a preferred choice for accuracy in substance detection. Precision is a hallmark of hair testing, ensuring that substance use is identified with high fidelity.
The speed at which results are returned offers an efficient way to manage drug testing processes. In choosing hair tests, individuals and companies benefit from a reliable method that swiftly delivers accurate findings.
Hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free policies for Monticello, IL employers. This method reduces legal risk and enhances workplace safety by providing reliable results that mitigate concerns over drug policy violations.
Regulatory Assurance: By implementing hair testing, employers gain peace of mind, knowing they uphold the necessary standards to maintain a safe and compliant workplace environment.
