Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair assessments are increasingly acknowledged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged record of substance intake by embedding biomarkers in the strands of hair in growth. When gathered near the scalp, it can present a detection span of up to three months for substances. Hair collection is uncomplicated, fairly resistant to tampering, and straightforward for transportation.
A sample length of 1.5 inches, consisting of around 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, which is the optimal quantity for testing and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg amount of hair is suggested. We advise measuring the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, the same quantity of body hair can be taken. References to head hair pertain solely to scalp hair, while body hair covers all other varieties (face, underarm, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory process of analyzing a drug test sample consists of four key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the sample's preliminary integration into a lab’s framework. This step verifies proper sealing and shipping, assigns an arbitrarily chosen LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any extra data input absent from an electronic custody chain system.
Screening performs a primary swift analysis for substances of abuse. While Screening offers an economical method for checking drug use in most samples, any positives require confirmation for legal acceptability. Any samples showing presumptive positives in Screening necessitate further confirmation.
If Screening indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. During Extraction, substances are derived from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to alternative methodologies (e.g., urine, saliva), making hair drug testing the most challenging to execute.
Verifying any positive screening outcome is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The complete lab process from Accessioning through Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests", these evaluations analyze the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp
In Charleston, TN, the effectiveness of hair follicle testing surpasses conventional urine tests. By providing heightened detection accuracy and dependability, hair testing is emerging as the superior choice.
Hair follicle testing in Charleston, TN, offers an extended detection window, identifying drug use over a longer duration of up to 90 days. This capability grants employers deeper insight into an individual’s substance history.
With a focus on Charleston, TN, hair follicle testing is recognized as a tamper-resistant method, significantly mitigating the risk of sample adulteration, thus providing reliable outcomes.
In Charleston, TN, the convenience of nationwide testing centers is emphasized by ensuring fast, seamless, and hassle-free access to necessary testing services.
Simplicity and confidentiality lie at the core of the Charleston, TN testing process, which covers ordering, performing, and receiving results, ensuring privacy and ease for all involved.
Charleston, TN boasts affordable pricing alongside fast turnaround times, promoting excellent value for organizations of any size seeking drug testing services.
In Charleston, TN, hair follicle drug tests deliver precision and speed, proving highly effective in detecting substance use with remarkable accuracy. Results are not only fast but trustworthy, allowing for swift decision-making backed by dependable data.
Employers in Charleston, TN, can achieve compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing, supporting drug-free policies and minimizing potential legal issues while enhancing workplace safety.
