Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair examinations are increasingly acknowledged as an effective resource for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair keeps a prolonged record of substance intake by encapsulating biomarkers within the growing hair strand's fibers. When cut near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol consumption data for an estimated duration of 3 months. Collecting hair samples is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easily shippable.
A 1.5-inch segment comprising roughly 200 hairs (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for initial screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or analyses exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. It's advisable to measure the specimen with a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, it pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair categories (such as facial, axillary, etc.).
Overview of the Process
The laboratory processing of a drug test result consists of four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves the sample's initial entry into a laboratory’s system, ensuring the sample was adequately sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any further data entry not furnished by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as a preliminary examination for the presence of drugs. While it is a cost-effective method to negate drug use in most samples, any positive result from Screening requires confirmation to be legally admissible. Samples that test presumptively positive must undergo a secondary confirmation.
Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at a significantly reduced concentration compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most complex methodologies to execute.
Confirmation for any positive screening outcome is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Samples with presumptive positives undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. The entire laboratory sequence from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes a review following both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.
Benefits of hair drug testing:
Disadvantages:
Note: Though often termed "hair follicle tests", the test itself evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In South Tunnel, TN, hair follicle testing significantly outperforms traditional urine tests in several ways. The enhanced detection precision offered by hair testing makes it a more reliable method in identifying substance use over an extended period, which is not typically possible with urine tests.
While urine tests are limited in their detection window and are susceptible to tampering, hair tests provide an extended review of an individual's history with substance use. The superior reliability of hair testing in South Tunnel contributes to its increasing use over traditional methods.
The extended detection period is a major advantage of hair follicle testing in South Tunnel, TN. It can identify drug use up to 90 days prior, which surpasses the capabilities of conventional tests. This offers employers a detailed analysis of an individual's long-term substance use history for a more informed evaluation.
Utilizing such testing methods allows employers in South Tunnel to gain valuable insight into past behaviors of employees or applicants, ensuring that all substance use patterns are comprehensively reviewed.
An essential advantage of hair follicle tests is their resistance to tampering, a crucial feature highlighted in South Tunnel, TN. The procedure makes it nearly impossible for individuals to alter or contaminate samples, thereby ensuring that the results are both reliable and authentic.
This testing method's integrity contributes significantly to its credibility, minimizing the risk of adulteration and providing stakeholders with confidence in the outcome of each test conducted in the South Tunnel area.
With convenient testing locations across the nation, South Tunnel, TN residents benefit from easy access to our comprehensive services. This widespread availability ensures that individuals can obtain hair follicle testing without inconvenience, demonstrating our commitment to accessible drug testing solutions.
These well-distributed centers simplify the testing process in South Tunnel, offering rapid and hassle-free services, which is a significant relief for businesses and individuals alike.
The hair follicle testing process in South Tunnel, TN is designed to be straightforward and confidential. By simplifying ordering, testing, and results delivery, we ensure individuals' privacy concerns are respected, promoting confidence in engaging with our services.
Streamlining this process minimizes stress and complexity, allowing individuals in South Tunnel to focus on what matters without being burdened by cumbersome procedures.
Our competitive pricing for hair follicle testing in South Tunnel, TN ensures businesses of all sizes can afford these comprehensive services. Combined with our fast turnaround times, this approach offers exceptional value, enabling companies to remain vigilant without exceeding budgets.
Our South Tunnel clients appreciate the reliability and cost-effectiveness of our offerings, providing peace of mind that the services are both efficient and accessible.
Hair follicle drug testing in South Tunnel, TN is known for providing fast, accurate, and dependable results. This type of testing precisely identifies substance use and its efficiency ensures that results are processed quickly, giving stakeholders the confidence they need in crucial decision-making.
The technology employed in hair follicle testing contributes to its high level of accuracy, minimizing errors that might occur with other testing methods. In South Tunnel, TN, this testing mode is trusted for its rapid turnaround, matching the fast-paced demands of workplaces and institutions.
Employing hair follicle testing in South Tunnel, TN offers employers a reliable compliance tool with workplace drug policies. This method not only reduces legal risks but bolsters workplace safety by ensuring individuals adhere to substance regulations effectively.
Hair testing supports a proactive approach to maintaining a drug-free environment, providing peace of mind for employers who prioritize safety and legal compliance in South Tunnel, TN's more stringent workspaces.
