Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has gained prominence as an effective measure for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a repository for drug and alcohol history, capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When taken near the scalp, hair can reflect usage patterns up to roughly a 3-month duration for alcohol and other drugs. Collecting hair is uncomplicated, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to mail.
A 1.5-inch segment comprising about 200 hairs (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, forming the perfect sample for analysis and validation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest measuring the sample with a jeweler's scale. If no scalp hair is present, a similar quantity of body hair may be obtained. When mentioning head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other variants (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The four primary phases in the lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the preliminary intake of a sample into a laboratory's framework. This process ensures the sample was sealed and transported correctly, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any supplementary data input not furnished by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening consists of an initial expedient examination for drugs of abuse. While Screening serves as a cost-efficient method to discount drug use for most samples, a positive outcome necessitates confirmation to stand in court. Any samples tentatively positive in Screening mandate further verification.
Should a sample show positive indicators during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. Here, drugs are derived from hair at significantly diluted concentrations compared to alternative methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring why hair drug screening presents more complexities.
Confirmation of any positive in the screening phase is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives undergo washing before confirmation as required. The entire laboratory routine, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is conducted under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and certified to ISO/IEC 17025 criteria.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly known as "hair follicle tests", the evaluation itself regards the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Fisher, LA surpasses urine tests by offering superior detection. While urine tests provide current usage detection, hair tests reveal long-term patterns, improving assessment reliability.
The unparalleled accuracy of hair follicle testing is evidenced by its longer detection period, providing a window into historical substance use, thereby delivering more comprehensive analytical insights than the limited timeframe of urine tests.
Employers in Fisher, LA benefit from hair follicle tests as they offer an extended detection window for drug use—up to 90 days—giving a detailed view of an individual's substance history.
This prolonged detection capability is invaluable for comprehensive evaluations, offering a historical perspective of substance use that shorter-term tests cannot, thus bolstering credibility and evaluation accuracy.
Hair follicle tests in Fisher, LA greatly mitigate sample tampering risks, offering unquestionable reliability with hard-to-alter samples, ensuring accurate results.
The tamper-resistant nature of hair tests makes them a trustworthy option for institutions, reducing the likelihood of sample adulteration, thus maintaining integrity and reliability in testing procedures.
With nationwide testing centers, including Fisher, LA, accessing drug testing services becomes seamless and convenient, eliminating hassle with quick and easy procedures.
Our extensive network ensures hassle-free access to testing services, providing local convenience and efficient testing processes, ultimately simplifying the journey for everyone involved.
The testing process in Fisher, LA is simple and confidential, allowing easy ordering, collection, and delivery of results, maintaining privacy and user-friendly engagement.
By assuring confidentiality, the procedure reinforces ease and privacy, ensuring comfort in the testing experience and safeguarding personal information throughout the entire process.
In Fisher, LA, hair follicle testing offers affordable pricing coupled with rapid turnaround times, delivering unbeatable value for businesses of varying sizes seeking reliable testing options.
Our competitive pricing structure provides excellent value, along with the peace of mind that comes with quick results, ensuring fiscal prudence without compromising on quality results.
In Fisher, LA, hair follicle testing stands out due to its remarkable precision and rapid results. Unrivaled accuracy in detecting substance use makes this method reliable and efficient, quickly delivering truthful outcomes.
Employers and individuals benefit from the fast and accurate reporting of hair tests, assuring immediate and correct results which minimize waiting times and offer significant insights into substance use patterns.
For Fisher, LA employers, hair follicle tests ensure policy compliance with drug-free initiatives, reducing legal hassles, and promoting workplace safety with reliable substance use assessments.
The adoption of hair tests fosters peace of mind, aligning with rigorous zero-tolerance policies, cutting down on legal implications, and enforcing robust workplace safety standards.