Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing stands recognized as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands capture long-term substance use by securing biomarkers within the fibers as the hair strand develops. Sourced near the scalp, hair has the potential to reveal substance use over roughly a 3-month window. Collecting hair is straightforward, hard to manipulate, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment made up of around 200 hair strands (equivalent to the width of a #2 pencil) from the scalp yields 100mg of hair, an ideal quantity for testing and verification. For EtG, supplemental tests, or tests above 10 panels, a specimen size of 150mg is suggested. It's advisable to weigh the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. In cases where scalp hair is missing, a comparable quantity of body hair could be used. The term head hair refers solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other hair types (like facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The crucial steps in the laboratory journey of a drug test result encompass Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
During Accessioning, a sample undergoes its first processing phase in a lab’s system. This step covers ensuring the sample was appropriately sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Screening is an economical approach to negate drug use in most samples; however, a positive screening mandates confirmation for court viability. Any samples preliminarily positive in Screening need further confirmation.
Should a sample test preliminarily positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. During this phase, drugs are retrieved from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.
Confirmation for any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Every presumptive positive sample undergoes washing before confirmation if necessary. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Known as "hair follicle tests" frequently, the test itself evaluates the hair strand and not the hair follicle beneath the scalp
Superior Hair Testing - In Knightstown, IN, hair follicle testing outshines urine tests with its longer detection period and reliability. Hair tests offer a drug history up to 90 days, unlike the limited span of urine tests.
Enhanced Detection - Hair testing boasts higher accuracy, detecting even infrequent or low-level drug use - a clear advantage over traditional urine testing methods.
Prolonged Detection Period - Hair follicle tests in Knightstown, IN provide insights into drug use over a longer term compared to other methods, offering an assessment window of up to 90 days.
Comprehensive User Profiling - Employers receive an overall view of a person's substance use patterns, aiding in informed decision-making during hiring or employee reviews.
Foolproof Testing - Knightstown, IN hair follicle drug tests greatly reduce the risk of sample tampering, assuring trustworthy outcomes every time.
Reliable Methods - The stringent collection processes employed in hair testing minimize risks of deceit, providing solid evidence of an individual's substance use history.
Convenience Across the Nation - Expedient and accessible, our Knightstown, IN testing centers and nationwide locations offer seamless drug testing services wherever you are.
Easy Access - Our strategically placed testing centers ensure swift and simple drug testing, enhancing the user experience with every interaction.
Streamlined Process - The hair follicle testing procedure in Knightstown, IN is as simple as it is confidential, allowing ease of scheduling and result retrieval.
Privacy Prioritized - Clients' data privacy is paramount in our hassle-free test process, ensuring peace of mind while maintaining confidentiality.
Cost-Effective Solutions - Knightstown, IN offers competitive pricing for hair follicle testing, accompanied by rapid results delivery, catering to all business scales.
Value and Speed - Our affordable rates combined with swift turnaround times provide outstanding value for money, enhancing satisfaction in the testing process.
Fast, Precise Outcomes - Knightstown, IN embraces hair follicle tests for their swiftness and accuracy. Results are available in days, not weeks, ensuring timely decision-making for organizations.
Unmatched Accuracy - The precision of hair follicle tests is unrivaled, making it the gold standard in substance use detection. This method minimizes false negatives and positives, providing clarity.
Compliance Assured - Hair follicle tests in Knightstown, IN enhance adherence to workplace drug-free policies, supporting legal security and fostering a safe work environment.
Employer Confidence - Utilizing this testing method, employers are bolstered by dependable results that aid in sustaining company standards and policies.