Accredited Drug Testing offers comprehensive hair follicle drug assessments in Lancaster, Virginia. For those requiring a hair drug or alcohol evaluation, we specialize in such tests, with facilities across the nation ready to handle them. Typically, 1.5 to 2 inches of hair on the head or body are necessary. Hair analyses can be customized for drugs, alcohol/ETG, and other specific testing needs.
Recently, employing hair follicle drug evaluation has become more prevalent in drug testing methods. Many employers, legal entities, and substance abuse professionals are opting for hair drug assessments over the common urine tests. Employers with strict drug-free policies, courts, and probation-supervised individuals often use these tests. A key advantage is the long drug detection window of up to 90 days, obtained during observed collection, making it hard to falsify results. Yet, for recent drug use within a 5-day window, urine tests remain the most accurate.
* You must register by phone or online to receive your donor pass/registration prior to proceeding to the testing center. You must bring a valid government issued ID along with the registration/barcode number which was sent to you by email.
When you're searching for hair drug testing near me or hair drug testing locations, we provide a simple and convenient process to find a drug and alcohol testing location near you that is certified to provide all of your drug and alcohol testing needs.
Hair testing is considered a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol use. The hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers within the growing hair strand's fibers. When cut close to the scalp, hair can reveal substance use for up to approximately 3 months. The collection of hair is straightforward, less prone to tampering, and simple to transport.
A 1.5-inch sample of roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) near the scalp provides 100mg of hair, ideal for testing and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of hair is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler's scale for weighing the hair sample. If hair from the scalp is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair can be used. "Head hair" refers specifically to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" includes all other hair types (like facial or axillary hair).
Process Overview
The core stages in the laboratory processing of a drug test result are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning involves introducing a sample into a laboratory’s system. This step includes inspecting that the sample was sealed and transported correctly, issuing a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening is a preliminary rapid analysis for substances of abuse. While a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug use among most samples, a positive screen necessitates further confirmation to be valid in judicial scenarios. All samples with presumptive positive results in Screening require secondary verification.
If a sample is presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration than with other techniques (like urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair drug testing.
Any positive results from screening are confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as required. The entire testing procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and is compliant with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test analyzes the hair strand rather than the follicle under the scalp
Hair follicle testing stands out in Lancaster, VA, for its superior benefits over traditional urine testing.
In Lancaster, VA, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window, capturing drug usage for up to 90 days.
Hair follicle testing significantly minimizes the risk of sample tampering in Lancaster, VA.
Convenience is a hallmark of our service with numerous testing centers nationwide, including Lancaster, VA.
Our process in Lancaster, VA, remains simple and confidential from start to finish.
In Lancaster, VA, we offer affordable pricing paired with swift turnaround times.
The accuracy and expediency of hair follicle drug tests in Lancaster, VA, make them a premier method for detecting substance use.
For employers in Lancaster, VA, maintaining compliance and ensuring safety is paramount.
