Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Acclaimed as an influential method, hair testing efficiently identifies alcohol and drug consumption. By embedding biomarkers in the developing hair strand, hair offers a prolonged record of drug and alcohol intake. When collected near the scalp, it can reveal drug and alcohol use for a time frame of up to approximately 3 months. Gathering hair is straightforward, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and convenient to send.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches long, consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil in dimension) nearest to the scalp, yields 100mg, which is the optimal amount for screening and verification. For tests such as EtG, additional screenings, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, it's advisable to use 150mg of hair. We advise using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair isn't present, an equivalent volume of body hair can be gathered. Our reference to head hair pertains specifically to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses every other type of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result includes four main steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the preliminary processing of a sample within a lab's system. This phase ensures the sample was correctly sealed and sent, assigns an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills in any missing data not captured by the electronic chain of custody system.
Screening acts as a quick, initial evaluation for substance abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient approach to dismiss drug use for most samples, a confirmed positive screen is required for legal admissibility. Any sample that tests presumptively positive during Screening requires further authentication.
If a Screening phase sample is presumptively positive, additional hair is taken from the original collection and prepped for Extraction. At this point, drugs are drawn from hair at far lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening the most challenging method to conduct.
Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are washed as necessary before confirmation. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the whole lab process is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation, with accreditation compliant with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently dubbed "hair follicle tests", this test evaluates the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp
In Cove Neck, NY, hair follicle testing outranks urine testing due to its superior detection capability and reliability. While urine tests detect recent drug use, hair tests reveal a longer history of substance use, offering a more comprehensive overview, ensuring employers are well-informed.
For employers in Cove Neck, NY, hair follicle tests provide an extensive detection window of up to 90 days, far exceeding that of urine tests. This prolonged window facilitates a detailed understanding of an individual's substance use, helping in informed decision-making.
Hair follicle tests in Cove Neck, NY are significantly tamper-resistant. As samples are collected under observation, the risk of adulteration or falsification is minimized, providing error-free, reliable results that can be trusted by organizations and individuals alike.
In Cove Neck, NY, and beyond, our testing centers' vast network offers unmatched convenience. Nationwide locations ensure testing services are always within reach, promoting swift and seamless access to drug testing without unwarranted delays.
Our process in Cove Neck, NY promises simplicity and confidentiality. From ordering to receiving results, the method is designed with privacy in mind, making it easy to understand and navigate, catering to individual concerns about data protection.
Our competitive pricing and expedited turnaround times in Cove Neck, NY offer exceptional value for businesses. Ensuring quick delivery of results without breaking the bank, we satisfy the needs of organizations of various sizes efficiently.
The precision and rapidity of hair follicle drug tests in Cove Neck, NY stand out due to their high accuracy, allowing for fast and trustworthy detection of substance use. These tests minimize delays, ensuring timely and effective insights into substance consumption patterns.
Utilizing hair follicle testing in Cove Neck, NY assures employers of compliance with drug-free workplace policies, thus reducing potential legal entanglements. This method enhances workplace safety and offers peace of mind, knowing stringent testing protocols are in place.
