Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis is regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a long-term record of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers in the strands of the growing hair. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer up to roughly a 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, fairly challenging to tamper with, and convenient to ship.
A 1.5-inch segment comprising approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the optimum amount for testing and validating. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing. If scalp hair is not available, a similar quantity of body hair may be obtained. When referring to head hair, it denotes only scalp hair. Body hair implies all other hair categories (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The fundamental steps involved in laboratory processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning entails the initial organization of a sample within a laboratory’s framework. This process involves verifying that the sample was appropriately sealed and dispatched, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any further data entry not included in an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug usage on most samples, a positive screening warrants confirmation for legal acceptability. Any samples that show preliminary positive in Screening necessitate an additional confirmation step.
If a sample indicates a preliminary positive in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than in other procedures (ex. urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug evaluation is considered the most complex method to conduct.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive are washed before confirmation as needed. The entire laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often labeled "hair follicle tests," the test evaluates the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Granite Shoals, TX, the advantages of hair follicle testing are evident when compared to traditional urine tests. Hair analyses provide a more accurate depiction of drug use history, extending up to 90 days, offering a vast improvement over urine tests. This superior method ensures better detection accuracy, aiding employers and courts significantly.
Employers in Granite Shoals, TX gain a comprehensive view of applicant or employee drug histories through hair follicle testing. Capable of detecting substances over a lengthy 90-day window, this method presents an unparalleled overview of one's past usage, ensuring thorough insights into substance use patterns.
The risk of tampered samples is drastically reduced with hair follicle tests in Granite Shoals, TX. This method provides trustworthy and indisputable results, shielding employers and legal bodies from inaccuracies typically faced with other testing types, thus ensuring greater integrity in substance use evaluations.
With numerous convenient testing centers nationwide, including local sites in Granite Shoals, TX, accessing drug testing services is incredibly straightforward. These facilities provide rapid and hassle-free testing solutions, making the process efficient for employers and individuals alike, whenever needed.
In Granite Shoals, TX, the process of ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle drug test results is streamlined and confidential. This simple approach prioritizes privacy and ease of use, offering individuals and organizations peace of mind while managing substance evaluations.
Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, hair follicle drug testing in Granite Shoals, TX provides excellent value. Businesses of various sizes appreciate the affordability and speed of results, allowing for confident and informed decision-making in substance use evaluations.
Granite Shoals, TX residents benefit from the swift, precise outcomes of hair follicle drug testing. With a high-degree of accuracy, hair testing effectively identifies substance use, ensuring dependable results. Whether used by employers or legal entities, this method instills confidence through its reliability and quick turnaround.
Hair follicle testing in Granite Shoals, TX ensures firms remain compliant with drug-free policies, significantly curtailing legal risks and promoting a safer working environment. This testing method reassures employers by reinforcing workplace policies, aligning with accepted standards and ensuring peace of mind.
