Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of substance use by encasing biomarkers within the structure of the growing hair filament. When taken near the scalp, hair can reveal up to around a 3-month period of alcohol and drug use. It is easy to collect hair samples, which are challenging to tamper with and straightforward to send.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches, comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable in size to a #2 pencil) from the scalp's proximity will yield about 100mg, which is the optimal amount for initial evaluation and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or assessments exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is preferred. It is advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. In cases where scalp hair is not accessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be obtained. References to head hair specifically imply scalp hair. Other hair types include any non-scalp hair (beard, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
Hair drug testing in the lab follows four core steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a specimen within the laboratory system. This stage ensures the sample was sealed and delivered correctly, allocates a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any required data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.
Screening involves a preliminary assessment for drug misuse. While this process is an economical approach to excluding drug presence in most samples, a positive screening necessitates subsequent confirmation to be valid in legal proceedings. Any samples indicating potential positivity require further verification.
Should a sample show potential positivity during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. This step involves removing drugs at significantly lower concentrations compared to other techniques (such as urine or oral samples), making hair testing the most intricate method to execute.
Any confirmed positive results from screening are validated through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if required. The comprehensive lab process, from Accessioning through to Confirmation, is verified under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Though frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the procedure assesses the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp
Hair follicle testing stands out as a superior choice in Laughlin, NV, by surpassing urine tests in detection accuracy and reliability. Despite urine tests being common, hair testing offers a broader detection window and higher accuracy, making it the preferred method for comprehensive substance monitoring, thus ensuring a safer, drug-free environment.
One of the key advantages of hair follicle testing in Laughlin, NV, is the extended detection window of up to 90 days. This allows employers to gain a more complete perspective of an individual's drug use, ensuring a thorough evaluation that short detection windows of other testing methods cannot provide.
In Laughlin, NV, hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant testing method, which helps in substantially reducing the risk of sample adulteration. This process ensures the integrity and reliability of results, thereby establishing trust and credibility in the findings presented during drug screening procedures.
The convenience of nationwide testing locations, including local centers in Laughlin, NV, ensures quick and hassle-free access to hair follicle testing services. This network simplifies the process, making testing accessible to all, whether for work, legal, or personal purposes.
In Laughlin, NV, the process for hair follicle testing is simple and confidential, from ordering to receiving the results. Users can rely on a straightforward journey that emphasizes privacy and ease, addressing concerns about discretion and usability effectively.
With affordable pricing and quick turnaround times in Laughlin, NV, our hair follicle drug testing services provide excellent value. This cost-effective approach ensures all businesses, regardless of size, can benefit from reliable and timely results, fostering a worry-free environment.
In Laughlin, NV, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their fast, accurate, and reliable results. Through advanced methodologies, these tests efficiently detect substance use with high precision, significantly outperforming traditional testing methods. They deliver prompt results, providing crucial data for timely decision-making.
For employers in Laughlin, NV, implementing hair follicle testing fosters compliance with drug-free workplace policies, providing peace of mind. It reduces legal risks and enhances safety, serving as a reliable method for maintaining a secure and compliant work environment.