Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has become regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged history of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers in the strands of the developing hair. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer up to an approximately three-month detection span for alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A 1.5-inch portion composed of around 200 hair strands (about the circumference of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal sample for assessment and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or analyses over 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is suggested. It's advisable to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. When referring to head hair, we mean scalp hair alone. Body hair pertains to any other hair types (facial, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The core steps involved in the lab processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a specimen into a lab’s database. This step ensures the specimen was properly sealed and dispatched, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any supplementary data entry not supplied by an electronic custody tracking system.
Screening denotes an initial rapid examination for drug usage. While Screening offers an economical way to exclude drug usage in the majority of specimens, any positive Screen result requires confirmation to hold up in legal settings. Any specimens that are suspect positive in Screening do necessitate additional verification.
If a specimen is a suspect positive during the Screening moment, more hair is retrieved from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. In this step, drugs are derived from hair at a lower density than in other techniques (e.g., urine or saliva), which makes hair drug testing the most challenging technique to execute.
Verification of any positive Screening result is carried out via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All dubious positive specimens are cleansed before verification as necessary. The whole lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the test actually evaluates the hair strand instead of the hair root beneath the scalp
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Grazierville, PA
Hair follicle testing outperforms urine testing by furnishing a superior detection accuracy and reliability. While urine tests reflect recent substance use, hair analyses reveal a more extended use history, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of an individual's substance habits, offering distinct advantages in gauging long-term patterns.
Extended Detection Window in Grazierville, PA
The primary allure of hair follicle testing lies in its extended detection window, spanning up to 90 days. This prolonged period offers employers insight into an individual's drug history, surpassing the limited scope of urine tests, ensuring a more sweeping assessment of ongoing or past substance use patterns and behaviors.
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Grazierville, PA
Hair follicle tests lead in minimizing the potential for sample tampering. By significantly reducing avenues for adulteration, these tests maintain integrity, yielding results that are both reliable and beyond reproach. This level of trustworthiness fortifies the results as valid evidence in various professional and regulatory settings.
Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Grazierville, PA
The network of our testing centers, both nationwide and locally in Grazierville, PA, is designed for convenience and ease. This accessibility ensures that individuals seeking testing services can swiftly and effortlessly avail themselves of necessary evaluations without undue hassle or delay.
Simple, Confidential Process in Grazierville, PA
Our drug testing process is straightforward and confidential, guiding participants smoothly from test order to receiving results. This ensures clients' privacy is maintained throughout, addressing concerns regarding confidentiality while simplifying the overall experience to enhance user comfort and convenience.
Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Grazierville, PA
We offer competitive pricing and fast result dissemination, underscoring exceptional value for companies. This efficiency, coupled with affordability, provides a seamless experience for organizations of various scales, assuring swift turnaround times and robust, budget-friendly solutions for drug testing.
Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Grazierville, PA
Hair follicle drug tests stand out for their precision and rapidity in delivering results. These tests excel in accurately identifying substance usage, offering a dependable option for detecting drugs over more traditional methods. The accuracy level makes hair tests a preferred choice for those seeking reliable outcomes quickly and efficiently.
Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Grazierville, PA
Employers benefit immensely from hair follicle testing due to its alignment with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method reduces legal liabilities and fosters a secure, compliant work environment, offering employers peace of mind and reinforcing overall workplace security standards.
