Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis serves as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. It captures a comprehensive timeline of substance intake by embedding biomarkers in the growing hair fibers. If collected near the scalp, hair can reveal up to around a 3-month window of detection for alcohol and drugs. The collection process is straightforward, difficult to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.
A 1.5-inch sample from about 200 hairs (resembling the size of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp yields 100mg, which is ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg is preferable. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is advised. If scalp hair is lacking, a comparable amount of body hair may be utilized. When we mention head hair, we are indicating scalp hair only. Body hair pertains to all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result includes four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial phase where a sample is integrated into a laboratory’s system. It encompasses ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening offers a preliminary analysis for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to exclude drug use across most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be viable in legal contexts. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening must undergo a secondary confirmation.
Should a sample show presumptive positivity during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are drawn from hair at substantially lower concentrations compared to other methods (ex. urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening notably challenging to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screen result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite being termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
When comparing hair follicle testing with urine testing in Reno, IL, the former stands out due to its superior detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests provide an extended detection period, which traditional urine tests cannot match. This extended timeframe offers employers confidence in assessing an employee's past substance use, ensuring the integrity of the workplace environment.
Hair follicle testing in Reno, IL, provides a substantial detection window of up to 90 days, offering extensive insight into an individual's drug use history. This prolonged period enables employers to gain a thorough understanding of prospective or current employees' substance habits, thereby informing better hiring or monitoring decisions and fostering a secure work environment.
Choosing hair follicle testing in Reno, IL, considerably minimizes the chances of sample manipulation, ensuring trustworthy and indisputable test results. Hair tests are less vulnerable to adulteration compared to other testing methods, enhancing the overall reliability and validity of the drug testing process for both employers and the tested individuals.
With convenient nationwide testing centers, including those in Reno, IL, accessing hair follicle testing is a straightforward and seamless process. Offering both local and national options, our testing facilities are designed to provide quick, stress-free services, ensuring employees and individuals undergo testing with minimum disruption to their daily routines.
The hair follicle testing procedure in Reno, IL, is characterized by its simple and confidential nature. From ordering to receiving results, the entire process is designed to maintain privacy while being user-friendly, addressing common concerns about confidentiality and the ease of obtaining testing services.
Our hair follicle drug testing services in Reno, IL, emphasize affordable pricing paired with a fast turnaround, offering exceptional value to businesses of all sizes. Competitive pricing structures ensure cost-effective solutions without compromising the quality and speed of obtaining precise test results, crucial for maintaining efficient operations.
Hair follicle drug tests in Reno, IL, are renowned for their fast, accurate, and reliable outcomes. These tests boast precision in identifying substance usage, ensuring timely results for critical decision-making. Hair testing detects a broad spectrum of drugs, offering a high level of accuracy not achievable with other testing methods, providing much-needed assurance for employers.
Employing hair follicle testing in Reno, IL, provides businesses with compliance assurance with drug-free workplace policies, significantly lowering potential legal liabilities while promoting a safe working environment. As employers actively prioritize employee safety, hair testing emerges as a reliable method to adhere to these critical policies, guaranteeing compliance and contributing to overall peace of mind.
