Employers frequently use hair testing to screen for illegal drug use before hiring and randomly throughout employment. It offers a 90-day drug history and is a more sensitive screening method than urine or saliva testing.
A laboratory conducts hair tests in accordance with a stringent set of standards to ensure accuracy. In addition, they wash and examine samples for environmental contamination that could lead to a false-positive result. A negative result on a hair drug test indicates that no drugs were detected in the sample. This does not mean, however, that the individual has never used drugs. How long it takes to receive a negative result depends on the testing laboratory and the type of testing performed. The majority of tests return negative results within one to two business days of receiving the specimen. Positive results will take longer to return because they must undergo confirmation testing before they can be considered final. This can add a few days to the standard turnaround time of four to six business days. The hair follicle test is the most accurate type of drug test, but it has one of the longest turnaround times. These tests can detect long-term substance use and are particularly useful for pre-employment screening. Employers increasingly utilize hair follicle testing to ensure a safe and drug-free workplace. Less invasive than urine screening tests, they can detect drug use up to ninety days prior to the test date. However, a hair sample can be difficult to interpret because drug metabolites are deposited in the hair follicles and travel up the hair shaft. This makes it more difficult to pinpoint the date of drug use. Depending on the lab and vendor, the turnaround time for a positive result from a hair drug test can vary. On average, negative results take 1-2 business days, and positive results take 4 to 6 business days. The turnaround time for a hair drug test is longer than for a urine drug test because it can take some time for the chemicals to reach the hair follicle. Negative results may also take longer to return because they require additional testing for confirmation. If an ELISA test was used for initial screening, the turnaround time for a negative result from a second test is typically 72 hours. If the screening is positive, a second test, such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), is performed to confirm the result. Due to the fact that drugs are metabolized and deposited into the hair follicles as the hair grows, a hair drug test can detect drug use within the past 90 days or longer. This detection window is significantly larger than that of a urine drug test and less intrusive than blood or saliva testing. However, certain medications can result in a false positive, so it is essential to inform the testers of any prescription drugs you are taking prior to the test. In addition, some foods and supplements may contain substances that can cause positive test results. A hair drug test is less invasive than a urine drug test and can detect drugs up to ninety days prior to the test date. However, it is more expensive and takes longer to obtain a result than urine tests. When a person submits hair for testing, a small sample of head hair is taken from the back of the scalp and sent overnight to a laboratory for analysis. A hair drug test may reveal a pattern of recent and repeated drug use. A positive result from a hair drug test indicates that a specific drug or drug metabolite was detected in the individual's sample. Typically, a second test, such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), is performed to confirm a positive result. In addition to validating the results of an ELISA test, GC/MS testing can protect against false-positive results caused by certain foods or medications. It can also prevent a false-negative result when hair samples are collected during a routine checkup or medical exam.
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