Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drugs and alcohol. Hair can offer a detailed timeline of substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands. When taken near the scalp, hair samples can provide a detection window of up to three months for substances. Collecting hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches containing approximately 200 strands of hair, which is roughly equivalent to the diameter of a #2 pencil, will yield about 100mg of hair, suitable for conducting screening and confirmation tests. For EtG, additional tests, and/or more than 10-panel tests, 150mg of hair is advised. Employ a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. Should scalp hair not be available, the same quantity of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types such as facial or axillary hair.
Process Overview
The primary steps for processing a drug test in the lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the first step where a sample is processed into the lab’s system, ensuring it was properly sealed and shipped, issuing a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any remaining data requirements not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial examination for substance use. Although it is a cost-efficient means to assess samples for drugs, a positive result from the screening must be verified to hold up legally. Any samples that yield presumptive positive results during Screening must undergo additional confirmation.
In cases where a sample is presumptively positive in Screening, extra hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at a lower concentration than other methods, such as urine or oral fluid, making hair drug screening one of the more challenging methodologies.
To confirm any positive results from screening, tests are conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples undergo a required wash before Confirmation. The complete process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is commonly used, but the analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Elrama, PA, hair follicle testing is a superior alternative to traditional urine tests, offering exceptional detection accuracy. This method provides reliable results and surpasses urine tests with a higher reliability factor in detecting drug use.
While urine tests dominate for recent usage, hair tests cover an extended use history. This advantage places them above urine tests, especially for employers seeking comprehensive employee substance histories.
Hair follicle testing in Elrama, PA offers an unmatched detection window, capturing drug use history for up to 90 days. This extended period gives employers a broader insight into potential employees’ or current workers’ substance habits.
Providing a substantial look-back period, hair follicle tests allow employers to assess long-term employee compliance with drug-free policies, ensuring a robust hiring and review process.
Elrama, PA’s hair follicle tests considerably mitigate tampering risks, offering reliable and unquestionable evidence of substance use. This method's intrinsic nature makes altering test samples nearly impossible, ensuring integrity.
The superior resistance against sample adulteration fosters trust in the process, maintaining accuracy and credibility in all results drawn from these analyses.
In Elrama, PA, the convenience of our nationwide testing centers shines through, with local options ensuring quick, straightforward access to testing services. This efficient structuring allows easy navigation for businesses and individuals alike.
Offering a broad network of testing sites simplifies the logistics of testing, reducing hassle and enhancing the speed at which services are accessed, thus benefiting all users.
The procedure for requesting, administering, and obtaining hair follicle drug test results in Elrama, PA is streamlined and confidential. This guarantees not only privacy but ease of navigation from start to finish.
Ensuring client confidentiality, this process builds trust, addressing privacy concerns while simplifying the testing steps, thus providing reassurance and accessibility to all participants.
In Elrama, PA, our competitive pricing and rapid processing times offer outstanding value. Catering to businesses of all sizes, our hair follicle testing services are both affordable and quick, securing peace of mind for our clients.
Our economic pricing ensures access across the board, while fast results turnaround enhances client satisfaction, providing an efficient and cost-effective testing experience.
The precision of hair follicle drug tests is unmatched in Elrama, PA, delivering fast and accurate results for substances use detection. These tests ensure high accuracy, capturing extended histories of drug use with efficiency.
Quick processing times make hair follicle tests reliable, giving quick and trustworthy outcomes. This method ensures results are delivered promptly without sacrificing meticulous detail, boosting confidence in the testing mechanism.
Employers in Elrama, PA gain peace of mind with hair follicle testing, ensuring adherence to workplace drug-free regulations. Using this testing method reduces legal exposures and elevates workplace safety standards.
This compliance provides security to employers, supporting a resilient workplace policy, encouraging a culture of accountability, and fortifying company values.
