Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has become recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers a comprehensive timeline of alcohol and drug ingestion by embedding biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When sourced near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of around three months for alcohol and drugs. It's easy to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
An ideal sample for testing involves a 1.5-inch long collection of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, yielding 100mg of hair. For EtG tests, add-ons, or more than 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. It's best to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unobtainable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. When referencing head hair, it refers solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory process for a drug test result involves four core steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning encompasses the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system. This entails checking the sample's sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data not furnished by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening is the initial drug abuse check. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to exclude drug use for most samples, positive screens must be confirmed for court validity. Samples showing presumptive positives in Screening necessitate secondary confirmation.
In cases where a sample is presumed positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the more challenging methods to perform.
Positive screenings undergo Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are washed as required. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning through to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Despite the common reference to "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing
Hair follicle tests offer superior detection accuracy over the traditional urine tests in Charlestown, NH. Their capability to detect substances over extended periods outshines urine tests, which have a limited detection window. This increased accuracy ensures more reliable results, providing employers and other users with thorough insight into substance use.
Extended Detection Window
Hair follicle testing delivers a prolonged detection period, covering up to 90 days of drug history in Charlestown, NH. This extensive window allows employers to gather a comprehensive understanding of an individual's substance use, far beyond the brief timeframe offered by other testing methods like urine tests.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method
The reliability of hair follicle tests in Charlestown, NH is enhanced by their resistance to tampering. Such tests significantly mitigate the risks of sample adulteration, providing exact and indisputable results. This inherent security feature establishes them as a trustworthy option for consistent drug testing needs.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations
Accredited Drug Testing boasts a broad network of testing centers nationwide, including local options in Charlestown, NH. This wide reach offers individuals and businesses quick and easy access to testing services, ensuring convenience and efficiency in meeting drug testing requirements.
Simple, Confidential Process
The hair follicle testing process in Charlestown, NH is designed to be both straightforward and confidential, addressing concerns of privacy and ease. From ordering to receiving results, each step prioritizes simplicity and discretion, ensuring that personal information is kept secure throughout the process.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround
In Charlestown, NH, our hair follicle drug testing offers competitive pricing with swift turnaround times. This balance of affordability and speed delivers excellent value, making quality drug testing accessible to companies of all sizes while ensuring prompt and reliable results.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results
Hair follicle drug tests grant rapid and dependable results in Charlestown, NH. Known for their precision, they proficiently detect substance use, catering to the immediate and precise testing needs. This reliability ensures that users can trust the outcomes to reflect true substance usage, reinforcing the validity of test findings.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers
Implementing hair follicle testing in the workplace in Charlestown, NH ensures employers adhere to drug-free workplace policies. This measure not only reduces the potential legal risks associated with non-compliance but also fortifies workplace safety, offering peace of mind to employers and employees alike.
