Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Utilizing hair as a diagnostic medium is increasingly being acknowledged as an effective approach for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands encapsulate biomarkers within their fibers, offering a prolonged overview of drug and alcohol intake. When sourced near the scalp, these strands can reveal evidence of substance consumption for a duration of up to three months. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and ships with ease.
A section measuring approximately 1.5 inches and consisting of about 200 hair strands (roughly comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, making it an optimal batch for both screening and validation. For tests involving EtG, additional panels, and those over ten panels, a sample of 150mg is advisable. It's prudent to utilize a jeweler's scale for weighing. If scalp hair is unattainable, equivalent body hair can be collected. 'Head hair' refers exclusively to scalp hair, while 'body hair' encompasses all other forms, such as facial or underarm hair.
Process Overview
The drug testing lab process is comprised of four core steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the primary step of registering the sample in the lab's system, checking that it's securely sealed and correctly shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing data entries absent from the electronic chain of custody.
Screening serves as a preliminary assessment for detecting drugs of abuse. While cost-efficient in classifying most samples, a positive screening result demands confirmation for legal admittance. Samples signaled as presumptively positive during screening will necessitate further validation.
Upon a positive screening indication, more hair is isolated from the main sample and readied for Extraction. During Extraction, drug residues are teased out from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods like urine or oral fluid testing, which makes hair testing a challenging but superior method.
Positive screening outcomes proceed to Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation. The entirety of the lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is rigorously supervised under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although colloquially termed as "hair follicle tests", the procedure examines the strand itself, excluding the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Braddyville, IA, hair follicle testing stands out against urine tests due to its enhanced detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, which can identify drug use only within a narrow window, hair tests offer longer detection periods. This makes them invaluable for employers wanting to enforce drug-free environments, ensuring superior oversight and substance history for employees and applicants.
Hair follicle testing in Braddyville, IA, provides a longer detection window of up to 90 days for drug use, allowing employers to obtain a more exhaustive understanding of a candidate's or employee's past substance usage. This method surpasses urine tests, which can only detect recent drug usage, thereby offering a broader view of an individual's compliance with drug policies over time.
In Braddyville, IA, hair follicle tests significantly curb the potential for sample tampering, yielding more reliable results. The nature of hair testing makes it nearly impossible to adulterate or substitute samples, contrasting sharply with urine tests. This enhances the trust in results obtained and makes hair testing a crucial component in trustworthy drug screening processes.
With a network of testing centers across Braddyville, IA, and nationwide, we offer seamless access to drug testing services. This extensive coverage ensures that clients can quickly and efficiently obtain the testing they need, without the inconvenience of traveling far. Local availability coupled with nationwide reach simplifies access, catering to businesses and individuals alike.
In Braddyville, IA, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential, addressing concerns about privacy and convenience. From ordering the test, to taking it, to receiving results, each step is designed with the user's ease in mind, ensuring a discreet and efficient experience that respects individuals' private information while providing accurate insights.
Offering competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, our hair follicle testing in Braddyville, IA, delivers high value and peace of mind to organizations of varied sizes. This ensures that companies can maintain high standards of workplace safety and compliance without incurring prohibitive costs, thus supporting robust substance monitoring practices effectively.
The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Braddyville, IA, underline their reliability in determining substance usage. These tests offer a high degree of accuracy due to their unique ability to detect a wide range of substances over extended periods, ensuring that results are both fast and reliable, catering to the needs of various businesses and individuals seeking comprehensive drug testing solutions.
Hair follicle testing in Braddyville, IA, ensures employers' compliance with drug-free workplace policies. It offers peace of mind by decreasing legal liabilities and promoting a safe, productive environment. Employers gain assurance through both the accurate results these tests offer, and their alignment with industry standards, strengthening overall workplace integrity and safety.
