Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has gained recognition as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a comprehensive history of substance use by locking biomarkers in the strands of growing hair. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection span of up to 3 months for alcohol and other substances. Collecting hair is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch sample comprising approximately 200 hair strands (around the diameter of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional panels, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is recommended. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, we refer solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
Laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into a laboratory's workflow. This step includes verifying that the sample was sealed and sent correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be valid in legal proceedings. Samples that are presumptively positive during Screening need a secondary confirmation.
If Screening results are presumptively positive, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at considerably lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening the most challenging technique to perform.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often described as "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Weston, PA, hair follicle tests stand out when compared to urine tests, thanks to superior detection accuracy and reliability. The longer detection period and resistance to tampering give hair tests a clear edge.
Advantages:
With an extended detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Weston, PA, offers employers a broad overview of a person's substance use history. This approach aids in informed decision-making.
Highlights:
The hair follicle drug tests in Weston, PA, are engineered to resist tampering, assuring the authenticity of results. The testing process diminishes the potential for sample adulteration.
Benefits:
Offering convenience, our extensive network of testing centers across the nation, including Weston, PA, ensures swift and straightforward access to drug testing services.
Convenience:
Our process in Weston, PA, for hair follicle testing is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, we prioritize privacy and ease of use for all clients.
Features:
In Weston, PA, we offer competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, providing significant value and assurance for businesses irrespective of size.
Highlights:
The hair follicle drug tests offered in Weston, PA, epitomize fast, accurate, and reliable results. Recognized for their precision, these tests effectively identify substance usage, ensuring that results are both rapid and dependable.
Key Features:
Employers in Weston, PA, gain peace of mind with hair follicle testing, ensuring compliance with drug-free policies. By reducing legal dangers and promoting workplace safety, these tests are invaluable.
Advantages:
