Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is widely recognized as an effective tool for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By embedding biomarkers in the strands of growing hair, it offers a long-term history of substance use. Hair collected near the scalp can reveal up to a three-month period of alcohol and drug detection. It's easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch section of about 200 hair strands (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) taken close to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the perfect amount for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of a specimen is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen is suggested. If scalp hair isn't accessible, a similar quantity of body hair can be gathered. By head hair, we mean scalp hair only. Body hair includes all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
There are four essential steps in processing a drug test result in the lab: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample within a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data entry if not provided electronically by a chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial quick examination for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-saving method to rule out drug presence in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for it to be valid in a legal setting. Samples that test presumptively positive during Screening must have a follow-up confirmation.
If a sample tests presumptively positive at the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are drawn out from the hair at a significantly lower concentration than other testing methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging to conduct.
Positive screening results are confirmed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that test presumptive positive are washed before confirmation as necessary. The complete lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair specification and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: The test is often misnamed as a "hair follicle test," though it actually analyzes the hair strand, not the root under the skin.
Hair follicle testing in Westfield, IA, surpasses traditional urine tests in several ways, notably in detection accuracy and reliability. A hair test reveals substance use over a longer period, offering more insight than the short-term window of urine tests.
Employers and organizations benefit from the superior detection rate of hair tests, which uncover substance history more comprehensively than urine-based alternatives.
Hair follicle tests in Westfield, IA, provide an extended detection window of up to 90 days, allowing employers a comprehensive look at an individual's drug use history.
This extended period is crucial for employers to ensure their workforce complies with drug-free policies, helping them make informed decisions about potential and current employees.
The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing in Westfield, IA, significantly reduces the chances of sample tampering, delivering reliable and credible results.
Employers benefit from the certainty that test results are genuine, knowing the observed collection process prevents attempts to interfere with the outcomes.
Our extensive network of nationwide testing centers, including those in Westfield, IA, ensures that accessing hair follicle testing services is quick and hassle-free.
The convenience of these locations means that employers and employees alike can experience a seamless and efficient testing process, avoiding unnecessary delays.
The hair follicle testing process in Westfield, IA, is straightforward and confidential, allaying privacy concerns for those undergoing testing.
From ordering to receiving results, the process is designed to be user-friendly and discreet, ensuring a stress-free experience for all participants involved.
In Westfield, IA, we offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround on hair follicle testing, making it accessible and cost-effective for businesses of all sizes.
This blend of affordability and quick results ensures companies receive high-quality testing services without breaking the bank, retaining value and efficiency.
Hair follicle drug tests in Westfield, IA, provide fast and accurate results, making them a preferred choice for detecting drug use. The precision of these tests ensures any substance use is identified with high accuracy.
Compared to other testing methods, hair follicle testing stands out with its ability to quickly deliver reliable results, offering peace of mind and dependable evidence of substance use.
Employers in Westfield, IA, using hair follicle testing can ensure compliance with workplace drug policies, minimizing legal risks and fostering safer work environments.
This testing method provides peace of mind as it aligns with zero-tolerance policies and supports a substance-free workplace, enhancing both safety and compliance.
