Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing has emerged as a significant method for identifying alcohol and drug presence. Hair captures a prolonged history of drug and alcohol use by embedding biomarkers within the hair's fibers as it grows. Hair samples collected near the scalp can offer a detection duration for substances like alcohol reaching up to about three months. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A hair sample, measuring 1.5 inches from the scalp and comprising roughly 200 strands (comparable to a #2 pencil’s width), will yield 100mg—ideal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or those exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advocated. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is advised. Should scalp hair be absent, an equivalent measure of body hair is a viable alternative. When addressing head hair, this pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other varieties of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The process for achieving a drug test outcome entails four crucial stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning comprises the initial step of incorporating a sample into the lab’s system. This involves confirming the sample’s proper sealing and shipment, assigning a Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN) at random, and completing any additional data documentation absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for drug substances. Although Screening is cost-efficient in eliminating the possibility of drug use in most samples, any positive indication necessitates confirmation to be valid in legal proceedings. Samples with a presumptive positive result during Screening necessitate further confirmation.
For samples showing a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is selected from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a notably reduced concentration relative to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), contributing to the complexity of performing hair drug screening.
Positive screening results undergo Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if required. The entire laboratory activity from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized in line with the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and in accordance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently described as "hair follicle tests", this analysis evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
The advantages of hair follicle testing over urine tests in Patrick, SC, are unmistakable. Hair tests offer superior detection accuracy, identifying substance use long after ingestion, unlike traditional urine tests.
Employers enjoy the reliability of hair testing, as it significantly reduces the possibility of tampering and provides accurate depictions of an individual's drug history, offering a clearer insight than urine tests.
Employers in Patrick, SC, benefit greatly from hair follicle testing due to its extended detection window of up to 90 days, which is much longer than urine tests.
This extensive timeframe ensures that employers get a thorough understanding of a prospective or current employee's substance use, giving them peace of mind when making decisions based on drug tests.
Hair follicle testing in Patrick, SC, provides a nearly foolproof method for drug testing, significantly diminishing the risk of test tampering.
Thanks to its dependence on robust sample integrity, hair tests assure valid and reliable outcomes that are difficult to alter, making it a favored choice for those seeking definitive answers.
Our services span convenient locations across the country, including Patrick, SC, making drug testing accessible and hassle-free.
This extensive availability guarantees quick and straightforward access to testing services, ensuring users aren't burdened with logistical challenges when seeking drug tests.
For those in Patrick, SC, the process of ordering a hair follicle test is both simple and confidential, addressing privacy concerns efficiently.
From ordering to result delivery, the seamless procedure ensures ease of use while keeping your data private, comforting users with its straightforwardness.
With our competitive rates, hair follicle testing in Patrick, SC becomes cost-effective, promising swift results and excellent value for organizations.
Our services focus on delivering quick turnaround times without compromising quality, meeting the financial and operational expectations of companies of all sizes.
Hair follicle drug tests exhibit unmatched precision in detecting substance use, contributing to their fast and accurate results. This method is trusted for its ability to reveal a comprehensive substance-use history in Patrick, SC.
Reliability comes from the ability to accurately identify various drugs, ensuring that results are swift and trustworthy, making hair tests a preferable option for both individuals and organizations.
Adopting hair follicle testing in Patrick, SC, is crucial for maintaining workplace policies compliant with drug-free standards, helping manage legal risks.
This testing method not only solidifies a company's drug-free credentials but also enhances its overall workplace safety, providing employers with the peace of mind they strive for.
