Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers a comprehensive timeline by embedding biomarkers within the hair's fibers during growth. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to three months for various substances. The collection process is straightforward, tampering is challenging, and shipping is convenient.
To obtain an optimal sample for analysis, a 1.5-inch piece consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable in size to a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp is sufficient to provide 100mg of hair. If conducting tests for EtG, additional analyses, or panels exceeding ten, a 150mg sample is advisable. The sample's weight should be confirmed using a jeweler’s scale. In cases where scalp hair is not available, an equally weighted sample of body hair is acceptable. 'Head hair' specifically refers to scalp hair while 'body hair' encompasses all other types such as facial and axillary hair.
Process Overview
The laboratory drug testing procedure consists of four major stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning starts with integrating the sample into the lab system. This step includes ensuring proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry not facilitated by the electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides an initial assessment for drug presence. Although this is a cost-efficient method to dismiss drug use for most samples, any positive findings in this stage require confirmation to be legally valid, necessitating further testing.
Should a sample show potential positivity during Screening, further hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or saliva), underscoring the complexity of hair drug analysis.
Confirmation for any tentative positive results is accomplished through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with likely positive outcomes undergo washing before proceeding to confirmation if necessary. This full laboratory cycle from Accessioning to Confirmation conforms to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and the ISO/IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly termed "hair follicle tests", these tests actually assess the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Why does hair follicle testing surpass traditional urine tests in McElhattan, PA?
Benefits of hair testing include superior detection accuracy and reliability. A major advantage is its resistance to being altered compared to urine tests, providing a more robust result. This long detection period offers more comprehensive insight into an individual's substance usage history, ensuring employers make informed decisions.
The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in McElhattan, PA allows employers to evaluate drug use over up to a 90-day period. This feature provides a full picture of an applicant or employee's substance history. Hair tests are invaluable for ensuring workplace safety and policy compliance, as they reveal longer-term patterns of drug use not visible in other testing methods.
In McElhattan, PA, the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing minimizes sample adulteration, ensuring trustworthy results are obtained. This robust method significantly decreases the potential for manipulation, giving both employers and testers peace of mind. The integrity and dependability of hair tests provide a comprehensive overview of an individual's drug use history.
With convenient nationwide testing centers, including local sites in McElhattan, PA, accessing hair follicle testing services is quick and easy. This widespread availability ensures that you can undergo testing without hassle, no matter where you are. Our centers facilitate efficient interaction between clients and testing facilities, emphasizing accessibility and convenience.
In McElhattan, PA, experience a simple, confidential process when ordering, undertaking, and receiving hair follicle test results. The discreet nature of this procedure addresses privacy concerns and is user-friendly. From initiation to completion, the process ensures a pleasant experience, maintaining confidentiality and ease for all individuals being tested.
In McElhattan, PA, hair follicle testing is known for its affordable pricing and rapid turnaround. Companies of all sizes benefit from our competitive rates, which combine excellent value and prompt results. This advantage positions businesses to make timely decisions while respecting budget constraints, highlighting the superior cost-effectiveness of hair testing.
In McElhattan, PA, hair follicle drug tests provide fast, accurate, and reliable results. Their preciseness in identifying substance use is unmatched, offering a high level of accuracy.
This method can swiftly analyze samples, ensuring that results are delivered promptly. Trust in the rapid and precise outcomes obtained from hair follicle testing, which makes it ideal for employers needing certainty in hiring decisions.
Adopting hair follicle testing in McElhattan, PA, offers employers compliance and peace of mind by aligning with drug-free workplace policies. Effectively reducing legal risks, this method ensures a safer work environment by delivering reliable data on employee substance use. Employers can maintain adherence to guidelines with confidence, promoting a healthy workspace.
