Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair testing is recognized as an effective means for detecting alcohol and drug use. Hair captures a long-term record of drugs and alcohol through biomarkers stored in the fibers of the growing hair strand. When gathered near the scalp, hair offers approximately a 90-day detection period for substances. Hair samples are easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.
A 1.5-inch collection of around 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil's width) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, an optimal amount for screening and confirming tests. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It is suggested to weigh the sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent measure of body hair may be used. References to head hair imply scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).
Process Overview
The laboratory processing of a drug test result encompasses four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning engages in the initial integration of a sample into the lab's system. This step involves ensuring the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, allocating a Lan (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any extra data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening entails a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to dismiss drug use in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples that test presumptively positive during Screening mandate further confirmation.
If a sample is presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are drawn from hair at much lesser concentrations than other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing one of the most complex methodologies to execute.
Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is misleading as the test analyzes the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.
In Atlanta, WI, hair follicle testing stands out for its superiority in detection accuracy when compared to traditional urine tests. With its longer detection period and higher reliability, it offers a robust solution for employers seeking thorough drug screening options.
Unlike traditional methods, hair follicle testing provides an extensive detection window of up to 90 days. This long-term insight into an individual’s drug use history grants employers in Atlanta, WI, the advantage of a comprehensive analysis of potential or current employees' substance habits.
The hair follicle testing process significantly reduces the possibility of tampering. This method ensures that samples collected in Atlanta, WI, yield dependable results, eliminating doubts about sample integrity and providing confidence in the test outcomes.
With numerous conveniently located testing centers throughout Atlanta, WI, and nationwide, conducting a hair follicle drug test is both quick and easy. This ensures hassle-free accessibility to testing services, catering to personal and professional needs efficiently.
In Atlanta, WI, the hair follicle testing process is designed to be simple and confidential. This ensures that from ordering the test to receiving results, concerns regarding privacy are addressed, allowing users to navigate the process with ease and assurance.
Offering competitive pricing, hair follicle testing in Atlanta, WI, combines affordability with rapid turnaround times. This ensures great value for businesses of varied sizes, maintaining high standards while remaining budget-friendly.
Hair follicle testing provides not only fast results, but the accuracy of these results is unparalleled in detecting substance use. In Atlanta, WI, this method ensures that employers receive reliable and precise data within a short timeframe, making it highly preferred for substance detection.
For employers in Atlanta, WI, hair follicle testing offers more than just thorough results; it assures compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This promotes a safer environment, minimizes legal risks, and grants peace of mind by ensuring adherence to company standards.
