Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair records a long-term history of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers within the strands of the growing hair. When sampled near the scalp, hair can indicate drug and alcohol use for up to roughly a 3-month period. It is easy to collect hair, fairly resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests above 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is advised. It is recommended to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be collected. When referring to head hair, it is specifically about scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The procedure for processing a drug test result in a lab involves four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the initial step of integrating a sample into a laboratory’s system. This entails confirming that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any remaining data entry that is not captured by an electronic chain of custody protocol.
Screening entails a preliminary assessment for substances of abuse. While Screening is a budget-friendly method for ruling out drug use in most samples, a positive result requires validation to be accepted in legal proceedings. Samples that appear positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.
If a sample shows a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen to be readied for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are withdrawn from hair at a significantly lower concentration than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug testing the most challenging method to execute.
Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that are presumptively positive undergo washing prior to confirmation if necessary. The full lab process from Accessioning through Confirmation is conducted under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 norms.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Compared to urine tests, hair follicle testing in Spurgeon, IN offers outstanding detection capabilities, ensuring accurate outcomes. While urine tests have been traditional, hair testing surpasses them in its reliability and extended detection window, providing stakeholders with a comprehensive glimpse into substance usage.
In Spurgeon, IN, hair follicle testing prevails in detecting drug use over lengthy durations, often reaching up to 90 days. This extensive detection period allows employers to gain a broad understanding of an applicant or employee's substance use history, ensuring informed decisions regarding resource management.
Hair follicle testing in Spurgeon, IN marks a breakthrough in ensuring uncompromised results. The tamper-resistant methodology inherent to hair testing significantly curtails the threat of sample adulteration. This provides a dependable and incontrovertible testing outcome, securing robustness and trustworthiness in substance evaluation.
With testing centers spanning nationwide, Spurgeon, IN offers convenient access for all. This extensive network ensures that obtaining reliable testing services is straightforward and hassle-free, providing prompt solutions to meet drug testing needs efficiently and locally.
The straightforward and private protocol for hair follicle testing in Spurgeon, IN addresses privacy and usability. Simplifying the process of order placement, test participation, and result acquisition ensures a seamless experience, promoting client comfort and confidentiality throughout.
Spurgeon, IN boasts competitive pricing for hair follicle testing, coupled with rapid result turnaround. Offering remarkable value, this service is accessible for businesses of all scales, pairing affordability with expediency for premier drug testing solutions.
Precision and swiftness mark the efficacy of hair follicle drug testing in Spurgeon, IN. This method boasts high precision in identifying substance use, offering reliable results swiftly. Hair testing not only expedites the process but assures stakeholders of its credibility and accuracy, making it a preferred choice for efficient drug detection.
Employers in Spurgeon, IN, find assurance in hair follicle testing, ensuring adherence to drug-free workplace mandates. This testing method aids in minimizing legal liabilities while reinforcing workplace safety, offering peace of mind and security in organizational operations and personnel protocols.