Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has emerged as a highly effective means for identifying substance use. Hair strands offer a prolonged timeline of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers into the fibers of hair as it grows. When hair is sourced near the scalp, it can reveal alcohol and drug usage for approximately up to a 3-month duration. Hair is collected with ease, is somewhat challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for testing and verification. For EtG, extra tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, a quantity of 150mg of the sample is advised. It's suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be inaccessible, a comparable quantity of body hair might be obtained. Mention of head hair indicates scalp hair solely, whereas body hair includes all other hair types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result encompasses four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning is the process of integrating the sample into the laboratory’s system. It ensures that the sample is correctly sealed and shipped, assigns an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial rapid assessment for substance abuse. While Screening provides a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug use in the majority of cases, a screen that returns positive requires verification to be valid in legal proceedings. Any samples judged to have a presumptive positive result in Screening necessitate a further confirmation.
In instances where a sample receives a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. At this juncture, drugs are isolated from hair at lower concentrations compared to other testing methods (like urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug testing one of the most challenging methodologies to execute.
Verification of any positive screening outcome takes place via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are cleansed as necessary. The comprehensive lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair framework and the ISO / IEC 17025 certification standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although frequently referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing in Ward, SC, stands out against traditional urine tests by offering enhanced detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, which are more apt to catch recent usage, hair tests capture a broader timeframe of substance use.
The capability of hair follicle testing in Ward, SC, to detect drug use over prolonged periods is unmatched. This extended 90-day detection window allows employers to gain an enriching insight into an individual's substance use over time.
Hair follicle testing in Ward, SC, substantially lowers the risks of sample tampering, delivering reliable and indisputable outcomes. This method addresses the longstanding issue of adulteration and ensures sample integrity.
For those in Ward, SC, and beyond, our extensive network of testing centers offers unparalleled convenience. With sites nationwide, accessing our testing services is quick and straightforward.
In Ward, SC, our hair follicle testing process is designed to be straightforward and confidential, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish. Our process guarantees privacy and ease for all participants.
Offering competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Ward, SC, delivers exceptional value for all business sizes. Our affordable pricing structure guarantees peace of mind without compromising quality.
In Ward, SC, the accuracy of hair follicle drug tests is unparalleled, providing fast and reliable results that are crucial for assessing substance use. The precise nature of these tests ensures high-standard results, widely appreciated by employers and legal entities alike, for their impeccable detection capabilities.
Employers in Ward, SC, are assured compliance with strict drug-free workplace policies via hair follicle testing. This testing method not only minimizes legal liabilities but also promotes safer work environments.
