Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Acknowledged widely as a potent means to uncover alcohol and drug consumption, hair testing plays a significant role. By embedding biomarkers within the threads of growing hair, it provides an extended timeline of substance use. A sample obtained near the scalp can reveal drug and alcohol usage for a duration of up to three months. Easy to collect, not easily tampered with, and straightforward to dispatch, hair offers a reliable testing option.
A 1.5-inch segment, comprising roughly 200 hair strands (equivalent to the diameter of a #2 pencil) taken nearest the scalp, yields 100mg, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirming tests. When carrying out EtG or additional tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg is advisable. It is suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair not be an option, a similar amount of body hair is acceptable. Our mention of head hair pertains exclusively to scalp hair, whereas body hair includes all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory procedure for processing drug tests encompasses four essential stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
In the Accessioning phase, a sample is initially incorporated into the lab's management system. This step ensures the sample is securely packed and delivered, allocates a unique Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completes any necessary information not accounted for in an electronic chain of custody process.
Screening involves a rapid preliminary assessment for substances of abuse. While this phase is a budget-friendly method to dismiss drug presence in most samples, a positive screen demands further verification for legal acceptability. Samples with presumptive positive results in the Screening stage necessitate subsequent validation.
When a sample exhibits presumptively positive results during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other testing practices (such as urine or saliva), making hair drug screening a particularly challenging test to execute.
Any positive findings in Screening undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples receive a wash before confirmation as necessary. The process, from Accessioning through Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Hair certification and compliant with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Benefits of hair drug testing:
Drawbacks:
Note: Despite the frequent label "hair follicle tests," the examination concentrates on the hair strand itself, not the follicle embedded beneath the scalp.
In Allen, LA, hair follicle testing offers significant advantages over traditional urine tests. Its main strength lies in the superior detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests uncover historical patterns of drug use over an extended period, offering a broader view compared to the limited scope provided by urine tests. Organizations benefit from a more comprehensive analysis.
With an impressive detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Allen, LA, offers a much broader analysis period compared to other methods. Employers gain insights into the long-term substance history of applicants or employees, allowing them to make informed hiring and retention decisions based on a complete picture of past behavior.
In Allen, LA, hair follicle testing minimizes the risk of result alteration. This tamper-resistant method ensures that samples remain untainted, providing results that stakeholders can trust. The methodology is robust against external manipulation, making it the preferred choice for reliable substance use screening.
Accredited Drug Testing boasts a network of convenient nationwide testing centers, including accessible locations right in Allen, LA. This extensive reach guarantees quick, easy, and stress-free access to testing services, ensuring individuals and businesses can seamlessly undergo necessary evaluations without hassle.
The process for ordering, administering, and receiving hair follicle test results in Allen, LA is simple and confidential. Careful attention to privacy ensures that sensitive information remains secure, while the straightforward methodology enables a user-friendly experience that alleviates any concerns prospective clients may have.
Our approach in Allen, LA emphasizes affordable pricing and fast turnaround for hair follicle tests, offering exceptional value to businesses of varying sizes. Competitive pricing structures, coupled with quick result processing, provide economical solutions without compromising quality or reliability.
Hair follicle drug testing provides fast, accurate, and reliable results in Allen, LA. Its precision in detecting substance use is unparalleled, delivering high accuracy rates that outpace standard testing procedures. For individuals and organizations seeking dependable outcomes, this testing method ensures timely and trustworthy revelations about substance involvement.
Employers in Allen, LA achieve compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing, aligning themselves with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method assists in mitigating legal risks by ensuring policy adherence, contributing to safer work environments and enhancing overall organizational security.