Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair retains a prolonged record of alcohol and substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer up to roughly a 3-month window for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch sample, comprising around 200 strands of hair (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, produces 100mg of hair, the perfect sample for analysis and verification. For EtG, additional testing, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen. If scalp hair is not present, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair categories (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning encompasses the initial handling of a sample within a laboratory's system. This process involves confirming that the sample was appropriately sealed and sent, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for controlled substances. While Screening is a cost-efficient method for dismissing drug use in most samples, a positive screening outcome needs confirmation to be permissible in legal proceedings. Any samples indicating a presumptive positive in Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.
If a sample shows a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and set for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is considered the most challenging method to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that are presumptively positive are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The whole laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: While commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests", the procedure examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.
Hair follicle testing significantly outperforms traditional urine tests in Joel, TX, due to its superior accuracy and reliability over time. Unlike urine tests, hair follicle analysis detects drug use over an extended period, usually up to 90 days, providing a comprehensive history of substance use.
Benefits of Hair Testing include:
Hair follicle testing in Joel, TX, excels with its extended detection window, identifying drug use for up to three months. This detailed assessment allows employers to evaluate an individual's longer-term substance history, offering a clearer picture than urine tests. Detecting drugs over such an extended timeframe helps organizations make informed decisions about current or potential employees.
This comprehensive view supports safer workplace strategies, focusing not just on recent, but also on past substance use behaviors. It's a method widely regarded for uncovering long-term trends and misconduct, making workplaces more secure.
In Joel, TX, hair follicle testing provides a highly secure and tamper-resistant method of substance testing. The nature of the hair sample makes it challenging to alter, greatly reducing the risk of sample adulteration compared to urine tests. This ensures that results are trustworthy and cannot be easily manipulated or contaminated.
Advantages include:
Accredited Drug Testing provides accessible testing centers nationwide, with convenient locations available in Joel, TX. This extensive network ensures quick and hassle-free access to drug testing services, accommodating individuals and employers wherever they are. Setting up an appointment or a walk-in visit is simple, thanks to the widespread presence of these facilities.
This expansive coverage eliminates the inconvenience of long-distance travel or delays, ensuring timely and efficient testing processes for users across different regions.
The process of hair follicle testing in Joel, TX, is both simple and confidential. Clients can easily order tests, securely provide samples, and receive results, all while maintaining privacy. This streamlined approach ensures that personal data and test outcomes remain confidential, addressing common concerns about privacy and ease of use.
By ensuring a straightforward procedure, individuals and organizations are relieved from complexities, making the testing experience more manageable and less daunting.
In Joel, TX, Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing and rapid turnaround for hair follicle testing. The affordability combined with fast results ensures that businesses of all sizes receive excellent value, supporting informed decisions quickly. This combination of price and speed positions the service as a preferred choice for employers seeking reliable solutions.
Balancing cost-effectiveness with high service standards enables small to large enterprises to maintain budgets without sacrificing quality or speed in testing.
In Joel, TX, hair follicle drug testing stands out for its precision and efficiency, delivering timely results. The ability of hair tests to accurately identify substance use sets a high standard in drug testing practices. This method not only ensures accuracy but also reliability, reducing the likelihood of false negatives or positives, thus providing peace of mind to those relying on these results.
The speed at which hair follicle testing can produce results is a significant advantage. It blends high accuracy with a rapid turnaround, ensuring essential information regarding substance use is available when needed. This swiftness does not compromise on the testing quality, maintaining its high reliability across various scenarios.
Hair follicle tests enhance compliance and give employers in Joel, TX, peace of mind. By using this method, companies adhere to drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal risks and boosting overall workplace safety. This secure, reliable testing method fosters a compliant work environment, reducing the likelihood of substance-related incidents.
Employers can rest assured that policies are supported by accurate data, ensuring both legal compliance and operational safety. This acts as a safeguard, reasserting commitment to a safe and responsible corporate culture.
