Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has gained recognition as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term evidence of alcohol and other drugs by encasing biomarkers within its strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair can provide a detection period of up to around three months for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch sample consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (equivalent to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the perfect amount for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is advised. It's advisable to weigh the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't present, an equivalent amount of body hair can be utilized. When discussing head hair, we mean scalp hair specifically. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The four key phases included in processing a drug test result in a lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the preliminary processing of a sample into a lab's system. This process involves confirming the sample was correctly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any other data entry not facilitated by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial quick analysis for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient means of excluding drug usage on most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be considered valid in court. Any samples suspected to be positive in Screening require a subsequent confirmation.
If a sample is suspected to be positive in the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the initial specimen for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are drawn out from hair at lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug screening the most challenging to execute.
Verification of any positive screening outcome is done via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All suspected positive samples are cleansed before confirmation when required. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated following both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards certification.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Penton, MS, hair follicle testing offers significant advantages over urine tests. Its longer detection window allows for identifying drug use even months after substance intake, providing more reliable results.
Unlike urine tests with a limited timeframe, hair follicle testing captures a comprehensive substance use history, offering employers superior accuracy for effective screening and compliance in Penton, MS.
Hair follicle testing in Penton, MS, excels in providing an extended detection period for drug use, documenting history for up to 90 days. This feature offers employers a broad overview of potential or current employees' substance habits.
With the capacity to retrospectively detect drug use over months, hair testing affords a holistic approach, aiding employers in Penton, MS, in making informed decisions, enhancing workplace safety and reliability.
In Penton, MS, hair follicle tests are recognized for their resistance to tampering, marking them as a highly reliable testing method. The nature of these tests makes altering results nearly impossible.
Offering trustworthy outcomes, hair follicle testing in Penton, MS, significantly mitigates the risk of adulteration, ensuring results that can be confidently relied upon for personal and professional needs.
Accredited Drug Testing ensures accessibility with numerous locations nationwide, including services right in Penton, MS, making it simple and quick for individuals and businesses to undergo necessary tests without hassle.
Convenience is key, and with various testing centers, Penton, MS, residents enjoy straightforward access, experiencing the ease of arranging and undergoing hair follicle testing seamlessly.
In Penton, MS, our straightforward and discreet hair testing process ensures a hassle-free experience from ordering to receiving results, addressing privacy concerns with the utmost care.
Experience in Penton, MS, a confidential process that respects individual privacy while maintaining simplicity, ensuring effortlessly navigating through each step of the hair follicle testing.
Accredited Drug Testing in Penton, MS, prides itself on providing competitive pricing, making top-quality testing accessible to businesses of all sizes without breaking the bank.
Quick turnaround times and reasonable pricing in Penton, MS, highlight the value we offer, ensuring essential testing is both economically feasible and promptly delivered, granting peace of mind.
In Penton, MS, hair follicle testing exemplifies unmatched accuracy and speed, quickly identifying substance abuse. With advanced technology, the precision of these tests ensures reliable outcomes, outperforming traditional methods.
Offering rapid result delivery in Penton, MS, hair follicle testing is perfect for timely decision-making. Turnaround times are minimized without compromising precision, making them the go-to choice for fast and dependable results.
Using hair follicle testing in Penton, MS, assists employers in adhering to drug-free workplace policies, offering peace of mind. With a reliable testing method, liabilities are reduced, fostering a safer work environment.
In Penton, MS, ensuring compliance and enhancing workplace safety are facilitated by hair testing, providing employers with confidence in their drug use screening processes.