In Mechanicsville, Iowa, Accredited Drug Testing offers comprehensive hair follicle drug testing services. Whether your needs pertain to drugs or alcohol, our expertise lies in hair testing with facilities available nationwide. Ideally, a hair sample of 1.5 to 2 inches is needed, though body hair may serve as a suitable alternative in some cases, allowing for the analysis of drugs, alcohol/ETG, or specialized testing options.
Hair follicle testing has gained momentum in recent years for drug assessments. Many employers, legal systems, and Substance Abuse experts are now favoring this method over traditional urine tests. Organizations with strict drug policies, legal institutions, and probationers increasingly opt for hair drug tests due to their extended detection window, typically up to 90 days. While urine tests remain the most accurate for recent drug use within five days, hair tests ensure tamper-proof, observed sample collection.
* You must register by phone or online to receive your donor pass/registration prior to proceeding to the testing center. You must bring a valid government issued ID along with the registration/barcode number which was sent to you by email.
When you're searching for hair drug testing near me or hair drug testing locations, we provide a simple and convenient process to find a drug and alcohol testing location near you that is certified to provide all of your drug and alcohol testing needs.
Hair testing is increasingly viewed as a formidable method for identifying drug and alcohol use. It catalogues a lengthy record of substance consumption by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand during its growth. Collected near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 3-month history of alcohol and drug use. Gathering hair is uncomplicated, relatively tamper-proof, and easily transportable.
A 1.5-inch segment containing about 200 hair strands (resembling the size of a #2 pencil) from the scalp yields 100mg, the preferred quantity for screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or those exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Measuring the hair on a jeweler’s scale is recommended. If scalp hair is unobtainable, an equivalent portion of body hair can be used. In this context, "head hair" implies only scalp hair. "Body hair" encompasses all other hair types (such as facial or axillary).
Process Overview
The procedure for processing a drug test result in a lab comprises four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into the laboratory's system. This step ensures the integrity of the sample's seal and shipment, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any needed data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening executes a preliminary assessment for illicit substances. While Screening is a cost-effective technique for reviewing the bulk of samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be legally valid. Samples testing presumptively positive require further confirmation.
For samples deemed presumptively positive at the Screening stage, additional hair from the primary sample is used for Extraction. During this step, the concentration of drugs in hair is extracted far lower than that in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), underlining the complexity of hair drug screening.
Confirmation of positive results follows via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples deemed presumptively positive are washed pre-confirmation if necessary. The end-to-end lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized both under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests," the actual analysis involves the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp
Comparing hair follicle tests to traditional urine tests in Mechanicsville, IA reveals the advantages of the former. The superior detection accuracy of hair tests ensures high reliability. While urine tests are common, the enhanced detection period and tamper-proof nature of hair tests provide significant benefits for organizations and individuals alike.
The extended detection window of hair testing in Mechanicsville, IA offers employers invaluable insights into past substance use. Capable of tracking drug history up to 90 days, hair tests furnish a detailed view of potential and current employees’ drug habits, thereby facilitating informed decisions and ensuring workplace integrity.
Mechanicsville, IA benefits from the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests, minimizing adulteration risks. This robust testing method ensures reliable results, which is critical for employers and legal bodies in maintaining high standards of integrity and trust in the test outcomes.
Offering convenience in Mechanicsville, IA and beyond, our nationwide testing centers streamline the drug testing process. Quick, straightforward, and trouble-free access to services is guaranteed, ensuring satisfaction and efficiency for individuals and organizations across diverse locales.
In Mechanicsville, IA, our straightforward and confidential process ensures ease and privacy from the moment you order to receiving your results. Our services cater to privacy concerns, guaranteeing an effortless and secure user experience at every step.
Our competitive and sensible pricing in Mechanicsville, IA, coupled with rapid processing times, delivers exceptional value. Catering to organizations of varying scales, our services afford dependable peace of mind without compromising on cost or quality.
For those in Mechanicsville, IA seeking accurate and swift drug assessment results, hair follicle drug testing stands out. This method offers an unparalleled level of precision, identifying substance use efficiently and accurately. The capability of hair testing to trace substances significantly outperforms other methods, ensuring reliability and trust.
Employers in Mechanicsville, IA can achieve compliance and peace of mind through hair testing. This method guarantees adherence to drug-free workplace policies, significantly reducing potential legal entanglements and fostering a secure, hazard-free working environment.
