Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Recognized for its efficacy, hair testing offers an invaluable means to identify drug and alcohol consumption. The hair captures a long-term record of substances by embedding biomarkers in the strands as they grow. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use over a span of up to three months. It's straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.
Taking a 1.5-inch sample of roughly 200 hair strands nearest to the scalp yields around 100mg of hair, the perfect amount for both screening and confirmation tests. For EtG, additional tests, or panels beyond 10, a 150mg sample is advised. It's best to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair can't be obtained, a comparable quantity of body hair should be collected. Here, "head hair" refers solely to scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other types (such as facial and axillary hair).
Process Overview
The drug testing procedure in laboratories includes four significant stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the first step in processing a sample into the lab’s system. This stage involves checking that the sample is correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and inputting any extra data not captured by an electronic chain of custody.
Screening involves a preliminary rapid check for drug presence. Screening is cost-efficient for eliminating drug use in most cases, but to be legally accepted, a positive result must be confirmed. Any samples that show a presumptive positive in Screening need further verification.
Upon a presumptive positive result in Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample for the Extraction phase. In Extraction, drugs are retrieved from hair at much lower concentrations than with other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing particularly challenging.
Positive results from the screening are validated through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS in the Confirmation phase. All samples indicated as presumptive positive are washed before confirmation if needed. The entire procedure, from Accessioning through to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and in line with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly misnamed "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the skin.
When comparing hair follicle testing and traditional urine analysis in Charlton, MD, the former highlights superior detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests offer a more comprehensive substance history, reflecting months of drug or alcohol use. This contrasts with the relatively short detection window of urine tests, ensuring hair analysis is a better fit for zero-tolerance settings.
In Charlton, MD, hair follicle testing's ability to trace drug use over an extended period of up to 90 days gives employers a robust view of substance history. This comprehensive insight is invaluable for assessing employee or applicant histories, offering a fuller picture compared to the limited timeframe urine tests cover.
Hair follicle tests in Charlton, MD, stand out as a tamper-resistant testing method, greatly minimizing sample adulteration risks. The stringent collection process ensures trustworthy results, reducing the chances of manipulation and providing reliable data for informed decisions.
With testing centers spread Nationwide, including Charlton, MD, our services ensure convenience and accessibility. Whether you’re local or located elsewhere, quick and hassle-free testing remains readily available, ensuring seamless servicing for all clients.
In Charlton, MD, our hair follicle testing offers a simple and confidential process, addressing privacy concerns with ease. Ordering, testing, and receiving results is straightforward, affirming our commitment to a user-friendly and secure experience.
For those in Charlton, MD, our service delivers affordable pricing without compromising speed, ensuring fast turnaround times. Businesses of all sizes benefit from our competitive rates, gaining excellent value alongside reliable and rapid result delivery.
In Charlton, MD, hair follicle drug testing stands out for its remarkable speed and precision, offering fast, accurate results. This method excels at identifying substance use, enhancing its reliability in various contexts. Opting for hair analysis means choosing a method known for quick processing and precise outcomes, crucial for timely decision-making.
In Charlton, MD, hair follicle testing assures employers of compliance with workplace drug-free policies, enhancing peace of mind. This testing strategy mitigates legal risks and reinforces workplace safety, making it an essential component of a comprehensive substance-free environment.
