Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Flat Rock, AL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a comprehensive history of substance use by capturing biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reveal usage over roughly a three-month time frame for substances like alcohol. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively tamper-resistant, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion, consisting of around 200 hairs (comparable to a #2 pencil width) closest to the scalp, provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional testing, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg is preferable. We advise measuring the sample on a jeweler's scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a similar amount of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, we refer solely to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair types (like facial and underarm hair).

Process Overview

The four key steps in the lab processing of drug test results are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system. This process checks the sample's integrity during sealing and shipping, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing electronic custody data.

Screening provides a preliminary inspection for drug use. Although Screening is a budget-friendly method to exclude drug usage for most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for legal validation. Any samples that show a presumptive positive result in Screening mandate additional confirmation.

If Screening suggests a sample is positive, more hair is taken from the initial batch for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than in other methods (like urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening a challenging technique.

Positive screening results are confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positives are washed before confirmation if necessary. The comprehensive lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, complies with both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation according to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests reveal drug use up to 90 days back, whereas urine tests offer a shorter detection period.
• Difficult to fake: Cheating a hair drug test is challenging, leading to higher accuracy in results.
• Provides usage history: Hair tests can highlight drug use trends over time, not merely recent events.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs only become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Typically, hair drug tests are pricier than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and personal hair growth rates can influence how drug metabolites appear in hair.

Note: Commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests," the actual analysis is done on the hair strand, not the hair follicle below the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Flat Rock, AL, offers multiple advantages over traditional urine tests. It provides extensive and reliable detection capabilities showcasing superior accuracy for identifying long-term substance use. This method ensures comprehensive substance history insights, unlike urine tests which have shorter detection windows.

Due to its robust detection period and minimal possibilities for tampering, hair follicle testing proves to be a more reliable method. Employers thus gain trust in the thorough evaluation of applicants' and employees' substance use history.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Flat Rock, AL, stands out with its extended detection window of up to 90 days. This prolonged period allows employers to view a thorough history of an individual’s substance use, unlike tests with shorter detection periods.

This lengthened insight offers employers an appreciation of an applicant's or employee’s past behavior over months instead of days, boosting confidence in the recruitment and evaluation process for substance regulations compliance.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Flat Rock, AL, hair follicle drug testing is admired for its resistance to tampering. The testing methodology significantly decreases the chance of sample adulteration, ensuring that results are reliable and accurate each time.

Hair follicle tests are administered under observed conditions, secure in nature, and the collection process reduces the risk of deception. This leads to unquestionable and sound results, which are paramount for crucial policy and hiring decisions.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Experience unmatched convenience with our testing locations in Flat Rock, AL, and nationwide. We provide seamless access to hair drug testing services, ensuring arrangements are simple, fast, and trouble-free.

Accredited Drug Testing has centers spread across every city, making testing readily accessible to individuals and organizations alike, thereby eliminating hassle and making the drug testing process more efficient and approachable.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Flat Rock, AL, Accredited Drug Testing's hair follicle testing promises a hassle-free and confidential process. From ordering to test-taking and result retrieval, the steps are designed to ensure ease and respect for privacy at every stage, making it an appealing choice.

Individuals can trust that their information and test specifics remain confidential, allowing peace of mind while navigating the necessary steps towards acquiring their drug test results securely.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Flat Rock, AL, stands out with competitive pricing structures matched with fast turnaround times, ensuring high value with swift service delivery. Employers and individuals alike benefit from quick and accurate results without breaking the bank.

Our cost-effective pricing alongside prompt results offers reassurance to businesses of any size that they are investing wisely in reliable employee and candidate evaluations for substance use.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Flat Rock, AL, hair follicle drug tests are known for their outstanding speed and accuracy in substance use detection. The swift processing ensures timely results, while the method provides highly precise outcomes, thus benefiting both employers and individuals seeking clear substance tracking.

These tests do not just deliver fast results; their accuracy surpasses many other drug testing methods. This reliability helps organizations make informed decisions quickly, boosting workplace safety and employee health confidence.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Flat Rock, AL, benefit greatly from opting for hair follicle testing due to its consistency in maintaining substance-free work environments. This method aids in complying with stringent drug-free policies, drastically cutting down legal risks associated with workplace mishaps.

The peace of mind generated through reliable hair follicle testing fortifies workplace harmony and safety, ensuring a prosperous work culture for all, resulting in a compliant and risk-reduced atmosphere.

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What's New In Hair Follicle Drug Testing according to the Hair Drug Testing Experts

With its multidisciplinary nature, hair testing brings together researchers, scientists, and experts from various domains to develop innovative techniques, explore new methodologies, and address emerging concerns, responding to the ever-evolving challenges of drug abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring, and environmental exposures to pollutants.

The joint meeting of the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT) and the Italian Group of Forensic Toxicologists (GTFI) was organized in Verona, June 8–10, 2022, and hosted by the Legal Medicine team of the Verona University Hospital, directed by Franco Tagliaro together with Federica Bortolotti and Rossella Gottardo.

It served as a prominent platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, facilitating groundbreaking advancements in hair testing and analysis. In this special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, we aim to showcase the remarkable manuscripts presented at this significant event, shedding light on the latest research and highlighting the future directions in this field.

Novel Analytical Techniques: The Verona meeting witnessed the unveiling of cutting-edge analytical techniques, offering enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy for drug testing. Remarkable advancements in sample preparation, detection, and identification of drug compounds have been presented. The manuscripts in this section presented novel approaches, such as multianalyte methods and on-line preparation which can enable rapid analysis and improve thorough forensic investigations.

Biomarkers and Pharmacokinetics: The identification and validation of reliable biomarkers and pharmacokinetic studies are fundamental aspects of drug testing and analysis. The impact of hair treatments on the oxidation/decomposition of drugs in hair was also explored, as the long-term fate of drugs incorporated in the keratin matrix. Furthermore, the SoHT meeting in Verona featured research on the identification and quantification of alcohol abuse biomarkers, their stability, and their correlation with exposure and other biomarkers.

Forensic Applications and Interpretation: One of the vital objectives of hair testing is its application in forensic investigations and legal proceedings. The SoHT meeting in Verona emphasized the significance of rigorous interpretation of analytical results and the need for standardized protocols. Manuscripts in this section present advancements in forensic toxicology, and have explored the challenges posed by emerging designer drugs and strategies to combat their proliferation. The pitfalls encountered when the exogenous/endogenous nature of a substance is questioned were presented and discussed. The special issue presents also manuscripts that delve into the ethical implications of drug testing in drug facilitated sexual assaults.

Clinical Applications of hair testing are witnessed by the insight on environmental tobacco smoke exposure, assessed by hair analysis in a population of students and the study of in utero-exposure to drugs of abuse through neonatal hair analysis. Exposure to drugs was also important in cases of child abuse/neglect, when the clinical purpose of hair testing merge with its forensic applications.

The legal framework surrounding hair testing and the achievement of guidelines to ensure fairness, accuracy, and confidentiality in drug testing practices have also been discussed,and the SoHT consensus on general hair testing and testing for drugs of abuse was presented at the meeting and published as a Letter to the Editor.

In conclusion, the special issue of Drug Testing and Analysis, featuring manuscripts from the SoHT–GTFI meeting in Verona 2022, reflects the remarkable advancements achieved in this field. The manuscripts provide valuable insights into novel analytical techniques, biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, forensic applications, and ethical considerations. As we embrace these advancements, we pave the way for a safer, healthier society, where drug testing and analysis serve as powerful tools in protecting public health and maintaining integrity in various sectors. The research presented in this special issue will undoubtedly shape the future of drug testing and analysis, fostering collaboration and inspiring further innovation in this crucial area of scientific inquiry.

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