Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has gained recognition as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By capturing biomarkers within the fibers of a growing hair strand, hair offers a long-term record of alcohol and drug use. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe reaching up to roughly three months for alcohol and drug usage. Collecting hair is straightforward, tampering is relatively challenging, and shipping is simple.
A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches and comprising approximately 200 strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is ideal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or when conducting tests above 10 panels, a specimen weighing 150mg is advised. Utilizing a jeweler's scale for specimen weighing is suggested. Should scalp hair be nonexistent, an equivalent volume of body hair may be gathered. Reference to head hair strictly indicates scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure to produce a drug test result comprises four principal steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the preliminary incorporation of a sample into a laboratory’s database. This process includes ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any outstanding data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves a preliminary inspection for drugs of abuse. While Screening is cost-effective for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be court-admissible. Any samples preliminarily positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.
In instances where a sample is preliminarily positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. At this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging to execute.
For Confirmation of any positive screening result, methods employed include GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any samples showing presumptive positives are cleansed as necessary before Confirmation. Every stage of the laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under the oversight of both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Though commonly termed "hair follicle tests," the assessment focuses on analyzing the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp
When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine tests in Villa Hills, KY, the former offers unparalleled detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests can unveil drug usage for up to 90 days, providing insights that urine tests, limited to a shorter detection window, simply cannot. This superior framework ensures employers make informed hiring decisions.
The extended detection window of hair follicle tests in Villa Hills, KY, stretches up to 90 days, offering a thorough examination of an individual's recent drug history. Employers gain a fuller perspective on an applicant's or employee's past substance use, ensuring a more informed understanding of their behavior and reliability.
Hair follicle tests in Villa Hills, KY, offer a tamper-resistant testing method that minimizes the risk of sample alteration. This ensures that the results are both reliable and indisputable, making them a preferred choice among employers and legal entities demanding consistency and accuracy.
With conveniently located testing centers across the nation and locally in Villa Hills, KY, accessing hair follicle testing services is simple and hassle-free. The widespread availability of our centers ensures that testing is conducted efficiently, saving time and minimizing inconvenience.
In Villa Hills, KY, our hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential. From placing an order to receiving results, we prioritize privacy and ease. Our streamlined process addresses any privacy concerns while ensuring ease of use, providing a stress-free experience for all involved.
Our hair follicle drug testing services in Villa Hills, KY, offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times. This affordability, combined with swift results, delivers exceptional value to businesses of all sizes, enabling them to maintain their standards without breaking the bank.
In Villa Hills, KY, hair follicle drug tests provide results that are both rapid and precise. Their accuracy in detecting drug use is unparalleled, making them highly reliable for substance detection. The efficiency and trustworthiness of these tests are essential for those seeking definitive answers.
Employers in Villa Hills, KY, can ensure compliance with their drug-free workplace policies using hair follicle tests. This method reduces potential legal liabilities and fosters a safer work environment, granting peace of mind and reinforcing a company's commitment to a drug-free workplace.
