Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for identifying alcohol and drug use. Hair maintains a prolonged history of substances by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. Collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe of up to around 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to gather, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.
Acquiring a 1.5-inch sample of roughly 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the perfect sample for screening and validation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. If scalp hair is not present, a comparable amount of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, it pertains to scalp hair solely. Body hair encapsulates all other kinds, such as facial or axillary hair.
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result encompasses four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning initiates the processing of a sample into a laboratory system, including confirming proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and concluding any additional data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening executes a swift preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While it offers a cost-effective approach to rule out drug use among most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation to hold up in court. Any samples with a presumptive positive in Screening mandate secondary validation.
Should a sample appear presumptively positive during Screening, more hair from the initial specimen undergoes preparation for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other tests (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a particularly challenging methodology.
Confirmation of any positive screen is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples showing presumptive positives undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: While often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis focusses on the hair strand, not the scalp hair follicle.
In Fork Mountain, TN, hair follicle testing is recognized as a superior method compared to traditional urine tests. Benefits of hair testing include better detection accuracy and reliability.
The ability of hair follicle tests to detect drug use over an extended period makes it an essential tool for employers in Fork Mountain, TN. With detection capabilities reaching up to 90 days, it provides a comprehensive picture of an individual’s substance use history.
Hair follicle tests in Fork Mountain, TN, offer a tamper-resistant solution to drug testing. This method reduces the risk of sample adulteration significantly, ensuring results that are reliable and beyond dispute. Such integrity in testing is vital for accurate assessments.
With numerous testing centers nationwide, including Fork Mountain, TN, getting a hair follicle test is hassle-free.
The process for ordering, taking, and receiving hair follicle test results in Fork Mountain, TN, is designed to be simple and confidential. Privacy is a top concern, ensuring users have a seamless experience throughout the entire process, from order to results.
Affordable pricing and fast turnaround times make hair follicle testing a great value in Fork Mountain, TN. Competitive pricing ensures that companies of all sizes can access these essential testing services while enjoying rapid feedback and excellent value.
The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests are unparalleled in Fork Mountain, TN. Hair tests offer high reliability, detecting substance use with exceptional accuracy. The quick and precise nature of these tests makes them a preferred choice for those seeking reliable results in drug testing.
Employers in Fork Mountain, TN, benefit from hair follicle testing by ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies. The assurance this method provides helps mitigate legal risks while enhancing workplace safety, thus offering peace of mind to employers.
