Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
The recognition of hair testing as a significant technique for identifying drug and alcohol use has grown. Hair captures a comprehensive history of alcohol and other substance use by embedding biomarkers within its growing strands. When procured from near the scalp, hair may reveal drug and alcohol usage over an approximate three-month period. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 strands (comparable to a #2 pencil in width) from the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample size for screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and panels exceeding ten, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler's scale for weighing the specimen is suggested. If scalp hair is absent, a similar amount of body hair might be used. References to head hair imply scalp hair exclusively, while body hair encompasses all other types like facial or axillary hair.
Process Overview
The core phases in a lab's handling of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning manages the preliminary processing of a sample within a lab's framework. This step ensures the sample is correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any remaining data entry not covered by an electronic custody control system.
Screening performs an initial swift assessment for drug presence. While Screening is cost-efficient for eliminating drug use in most samples, positive findings must be verified to stand in legal situations. Samples with presumptive positives from Screening need subsequent verification.
In cases where Screening results indicate a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction stage. Here, drugs are removed from hair at significantly lower levels than other methods like urine or oral fluid, making hair screening particularly challenging.
Verification of a positive screening result is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any presumptive positives are cleaned before confirmation as required. Each step, from Accessioning through Confirmation, is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standard and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation criteria.
Pros of hair drug testing:
Drawbacks:
Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing offers a distinct advantage over urine tests in Wingate, NC. The accuracy and reliability of hair tests provide a longer detection window, making them a superior choice.
While urine tests can detect recent drug use, hair tests provide a fuller picture of substance use over an extended period, offering more comprehensive insight for employers.
The nature of hair follicle testing minimizes the chances of tampering or adulteration, ensuring trustworthy results each time.
The extended detection window of hair follicle tests in Wingate, NC, sets them apart, allowing for observation of drug use over as long as 90 days.
This comprehensive overview aids employers in evaluating an individual’s long-term substance use, providing a broader understanding compared to shorter-term detection methods.
For businesses, this enhanced detection period helps to ensure a safer, drug-free workplace by looking beyond recent substance use.
Hair follicle testing in Wingate, NC, is a method resistant to tampering, greatly reducing the risk of adulteration.
The observed collection process involved in hair testing ensures authenticity and credibility, free from the common pitfalls associated with other testing methods.
This tamper-resistant approach offers peace of mind, knowing results are trustworthy and have not been compromised.
Accredited Drug Testing offers convenient testing locations not just nationwide but locally in Wingate, NC, as well.
With numerous testing centers, accessibility is never an issue, ensuring that testing services are simple and straightforward to reach.
This local and nationwide network greatly simplifies the logistical challenges of drug testing, providing ease of access for all.
In Wingate, NC, the hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential, ensuring privacy at every step from ordering to receiving results.
With an emphasis on confidentiality, individuals can be assured that their privacy is respected throughout the testing process.
The straightforward process ensures ease of use, alleviating concerns about complexity or breaches of confidentiality.
Wingate, NC, benefits from affordable pricing on hair follicle drug tests, making them accessible without burdening companies financially.
The fast turnaround time of results adds further value, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can efficiently maintain their workplace standards.
This balance of cost-effectiveness and rapid service offers exceptional value, saving both time and resources.
In Wingate, NC, hair follicle tests stand out for their rapid and precise results. The efficiency of these tests ensures that substance use is detected with a high level of accuracy.
Employers and individuals alike benefit from the swift turnaround times and the dependability of the results, leaving little room for doubt about recent drug use.
The meticulous process involved in hair testing captures a comprehensive view of an individual's substance use history, ensuring results that are both accurate and reliable.
Employers in Wingate, NC, gain peace of mind using hair follicle tests to maintain compliance with drug-free workplace policies.
Such testing minimizes legal and safety risks, fostering a healthier, more responsible work environment.
The assurance of accurate and unwavering results through hair tests helps businesses uphold their zero-tolerance policies with confidence.