Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as an influential method for identifying the usage of drugs and alcohol. By embedding biomarkers within the growing hair strand’s fibers, hair provides a prolonged timeline of alcohol and drug history. When hair is sampled near the scalp, it offers up to roughly a 3-month period for detecting drugs and alcohol. Collecting hair is straightforward, modestly resistant to tampering, and can be easily transported.
A 1.5-inch hair sample, with about 200 strands (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil), taken closest to the scalp, yields 100mg of hair, which is the preferred amount for both screening and validation. For Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), additional tests, and/or testing beyond 10 panels, a specimen weighing 150mg is suggested. It's advised to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing the specimen. If someone lacks scalp hair, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used instead. Specifically, "head hair" refers only to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" pertains to all other hair types (e.g., facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The drug testing laboratory procedure consists of four major steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the preliminary process by which a sample is entered into a lab’s system. This step checks whether the sample was properly sealed and transported, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any supplementary data entry that isn’t captured by an electronic chain of custody application.
Screening provides a swift preliminary analysis for drugs of abuse. While this is a budget-friendly way to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive result from a Screening needs confirmation to be legally credible. Samples that provide presumptive positive results during Screening must undergo additional confirmation.
Should a sample yield a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is drawn from the original specimen for Extraction. Here, drugs are derived from hair at a far lower concentration than other methods like urine or oral fluid testing, which makes hair drug testing the most challenging technique to execute.
Positive Screening outcomes are substantiated using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples are washed when necessary before confirmation. The complete laboratory operation from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently termed "hair follicle tests", this test evaluates the hair strand, not the subcutaneous hair follicle.
Hair vs. Urine Testing
In Alburnett, IA, hair follicle testing outshines traditional urine tests by offering superior detection accuracy. Hair tests boast a longer detection window and resist tampering, ensuring more reliable outcomes.
Why Hair Testing Prevails
Employers in Alburnett, IA often choose hair testing over urine due to its expanded scope and reliability, providing reassurance and thorough detection capacity.
Extended Detection Advantage
Alburnett businesses can benefit from hair follicle tests' long detection window of up to 90 days. This extensive period provides employers with a deeper insight into an individual's past drug use patterns.
Comprehensive Drug History
Offering a broader view of an individual's substance history, hair tests in Alburnett, IA help employers make informed hiring and management decisions.
Reliability Through Tamper-Resistance
Alburnett, IA industries appreciate hair follicle tests for their tamper-proof nature, ensuring sample integrity and delivering unchallenged results that maintain credibility.
Secure Testing Methods
Hair tests in Alburnett reduce adulteration risks, ensuring sample purity and credible results, crucial for workplace and legal obligations.
Nationwide Accessibility
Alburnett residents enjoy convenient testing with nationally accessible centers. This wide network simplifies scheduling, ensuring seamless service access.
Convenience at Your Fingertips
Our widespread testing locations allow hassle-free procedures, making drug screening in Alburnett, IA straightforward and accessible.
Streamlined and Confidential
The process of initiating, conducting, and receiving results from hair tests in Alburnett, IA is both simple and confidential, prioritizing user privacy.
Privacy Assured
Alburnett clients experience straightforward and discreet hair drug testing, ensuring ease while maintaining confidentiality throughout the process.
Cost-Effective Solutions
Competitive pricing on hair follicle tests in Alburnett, IA, offers substantial value. Companies benefit from fast turnaround times, ensuring efficient and economical testing.
Value and Quick Results
Affordable rates and quick results highlight hair testing's value in Alburnett, facilitating timely decisions for businesses of all sizes.
Speed and Precision in Alburnett
Hair follicle drug tests in Alburnett, IA promise fast, accurate results. Their high precision provides reliable detection of substance use, ensuring accurate outcomes promptly.
Timely Results
Utilizing cutting-edge technology, hair tests deliver quick and precise drug use analysis, offering rapid results that organizations can depend on anywhere in Alburnett.
Safe and Compliant Workspaces
Hair follicle testing in Alburnett, IA reinforces drug-free policies, enhancing workforce safety and reducing legal liabilities.
Employer Assurance
By consistently employing hair testing, Alburnett employers instill peace of mind, adhering to regulations and maintaining safe environments.