Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective means for identifying substance use involving drugs and alcohol. Hair offers a prolonged history of substance intake by capturing biomarkers within the strands of hair as they grow. When taken from near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a roughly three-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. It is straightforward to collect, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.
A segment measuring 1.5 inches consisting of about 200 hair strands (the width of a #2 pencil) near the scalp offers 100mg of hair, which is ideal for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale is suggested for weighing the sample. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used instead. References to head hair specifically denote scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
Four principal steps in the lab processing of drug test results include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning comprises the preliminary processing of a sample within a lab’s system. It involves checking that the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data not provided through an electronic chain of custody.
Screening pertains to an initial swift check for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-effective approach to dismiss drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to hold up in legal settings. All samples that are presumptively positive during Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.
If a sample is suspected of being positive in the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug screening is considered the most challenging method to execute.
Confirmation of positive screening results happens via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples undergo necessary washing before confirmation. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite often being termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis targets the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Sontag, MS. Hair tests significantly outperform traditional urine tests regarding detection accuracy and reliability. While urine screens reveal short-term use, hair follicle tests provide a broader window, capturing substance usage history over extended periods, making them superior for thorough assessments.
Extended Detection Window in Sontag, MS. Hair follicle testing excels with its extended detection period of up to 90 days, providing employers a comprehensive perspective of an individual's substance history, thus informing better hiring decisions and ensuring workplace safety by maintaining drug-free environments.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Sontag, MS. Hair follicle tests are notably resilient against sample adulteration, delivering reliable and uncontestable results. This straightforward collection process discourages tampering, ensuring employers receive accurate data upon which to base critical employment decisions.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Sontag, MS. Our expansive network of testing centers nationwide ensures testing services are readily accessible, facilitating a quick and seamless testing experience, guaranteeing convenience for both businesses and individuals in need of reliable substance testing.
Simple, Confidential Process in Sontag, MS. The straightforward procedure for ordering and executing hair follicle tests ensures privacy and simplicity, addressing users' privacy concerns and allowing them to receive results efficiently and discreetly, thus safeguarding personal information throughout the testing process.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Sontag, MS. Competitive pricing structures combined with swift turnaround times deliver excellent value, ensuring businesses of all sizes benefit from cost-effective drug testing solutions without sacrificing quality or timeliness, ultimately supporting wise economic decisions.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Sontag, MS. Hair follicle tests offer unmatched precision and speed in detecting substance use, ensuring high accuracy. With swift processing times, individuals can trust their results will reflect their substance use accurately and timely, fostering a sense of assuredness in both personal and professional settings.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Sontag, MS. Utilizing hair follicle testing helps employers adhere to drug-free workplace requirements, curtails legal liabilities, and reinforces a safe working environment, extending peace of mind to management and demonstrating organizational commitment to safety.
