Accredited Drug Testing provides comprehensive hair follicle drug screening services in St. Charles, Kentucky. If you're in need of a hair drug or alcohol test, look no further than Accredited Drug Testing, which excels in hair testing and has facilities nationwide to carry out these tests. Generally, 1.5 to 2 inches of hair from the head or body can be used. Hair tests can detect drugs, alcohol/ETG, or have other specialized options.
In recent years, hair follicle drug testing has increasingly become the norm for drug screenings. Employers, judicial systems, and Substance Abuse professionals now often opt for a hair drug test over traditional urine tests. This method is favored by employers with strict drug-free policies, courts, and probationary individuals. One major advantage of hair follicle tests is their extended detection period of up to 90 days, conducted in observed conditions. It's nearly foolproof, although urine tests are more accurate for detecting recent use within five days.
* 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 has gained recognition as an effective method for identifying substance and alcohol use. The hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand fibers as they grow. When samples are gathered from near the scalp, they can offer nearly a 3-month detection period for various substances. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for transport.
For accurate analysis, a 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (resembling a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp is required, yielding 100mg of hair, which is the preferred quantity for both initial and confirmatory testing. For EtG tests, additional panels, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler's scale is recommended for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair isn’t available, the same quantity of body hair can be collected. "Head hair" specifically refers to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" encompasses all other types (facial, armpit, etc.).
Process Overview
The four key steps in the lab processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning comprises the initial handling of a specimen as it enters a lab’s system. This step verifies whether the specimen was properly sealed and shipped, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any necessary manual data input that isn’t available via an electronic chain of custody.
Screening performs an initial rapid assessment for drug use. While screening is economically efficient for excluding drug use in most samples, any positive screening results need confirmation to be legally valid. Samples that are presumptively positive during screening must undergo an additional confirmation step.
For samples registering as presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the original collection and readied for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly reduced concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging to execute.
For confirmation of any positive screening result, techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS are employed. All samples with presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The whole lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite commonly being labeled as "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
When comparing hair follicle tests to urine tests in St. Charles, KY, the advantages are clear. Hair testing offers a longer detection window and greater sample integrity. For circumstances where accuracy and long-term substance history matter, hair tests are unmatched. The method provides superior detection accuracy and reliability, trumping traditional options.
Employers in St. Charles, KY, benefit from the extended detection window of hair follicle tests, which can track drug usage over a period of up to 90 days. This extensive timespan offers a comprehensive view of an individual’s substance history, proving invaluable for making informed employment and compliance decisions.
Hair follicle tests in St. Charles, KY, significantly minimize the risk of tampering. This makes them a reliable and trustworthy method for drug screening. The tamper-resistant nature of these tests ensures that the results obtained are unquestionable and not easily altered, providing peace of mind to all involved parties.
Convenience is key in St. Charles, KY, with hair testing centers available nationwide. Accredited Drug Testing ensures that accessing testing services is both quick and hassle-free, allowing residents to utilize local facilities for their drug testing needs without significant time or travel expenditures.
The process for conducting hair follicle tests in St. Charles, KY, is designed to be straightforward and confidential. The procedure, from ordering to obtaining results, respects privacy concerns and eases usage. This customer-focused approach ensures that individuals find the process both simple and secure.
In St. Charles, KY, hair follicle testing is not only reliable but also cost-effective. Our competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times provide excellent value for businesses of various sizes. Companies benefit from affordable testing solutions that promise quick, dependable results.
In St. Charles, KY, hair follicle drug tests stand out for delivering precise and swift results. The methodology is known for its high accuracy, efficiently detecting substance use with minimal delay. Unlike other tests, hair follicle testing ensures fast, accurate, and reliable outcomes that employers and institutions can depend upon.
In St. Charles, KY, employers gain peace of mind through the use of hair follicle testing to maintain compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This practice reduces legal risks associated with drug use and enhances overall workplace safety, aligning with strict regulatory standards and fostering a secure work environment.