Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Stewartville, AL

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has become recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Through capturing biomarkers in the fibers of a developing hair strand, hair offers a prolonged history of alcohol and other drugs. When samples are taken near the scalp, hair can show up to a three-month period of substance use. Hair is easy to gather, relatively resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.

A sample approximately 1.5 inches long, consisting of about 200 hair strands (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) near the scalp, will provide 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for analysis and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and tests exceeding 10 panels, it is advised to use 150mg of the sample. We suggest measuring the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair covers all other hair types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The primary stages in the laboratory processing of a drug test are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the starting procedure of inputting a sample into a laboratory's system. This step involves ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not included in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary rapid test for substance misuse. While Screening is an economical guide to eliminate drug use in most samples, a positive result needs to be validated for legal admissibility. Any samples that yield a preliminary positive in Screening require further confirmation.

Should a sample present a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. This stage involves extracting drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), accounting for the complexity of hair drug screening.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any samples indicative of presumptive positives are washed prior to confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory procedure 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:

• Long-term detection: Hair drug testing can identify drug usage up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Challenging to fraud: It is highly challenging to falsify a hair drug test, resulting in more trustworthy outcomes.
• Historical perspective: It can reveal a pattern of drug consumption over a duration, rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent use: Detection of drugs in hair requires about 5-7 days to be possible.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically costs more than other drug testing methodologies.
• Result variability: Hair color and personal differences in growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Often termed as "hair follicle tests", these analyses review the hair strand, not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Stewartville, AL, hair follicle testing presents clear advantages over traditional urine testing. The enhanced detection accuracy and reliability make it the superior choice. Unlike urine tests, hair analysis captures a long-term view of substance use, providing a more comprehensive picture that better reflects an individual's drug history.
This extensive detection capacity highlights the superior effectiveness of hair testing.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Stewartville, AL stands out due to its extended detection window, with the ability to trace drug use up to 90 days. This feature provides employers with a richer insight into an individual's substance history. With such a thorough timespan covered, it ensures that sporadic use and frequent abuse are equally detectable, offering a detailed view that other testing methods cannot match.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Stewartville, AL, hair follicle testing proves to be a tamper-resistant testing method. The process substantially minimizes the likelihood of sample adulteration, ensuring that results are unquestionably reliable. Employing hair samples, which are less susceptible to manipulation than other types, allows for a credible testing process that stands up to scrutiny.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key to our services, with numerous testing locations including Stewartville, AL. Our nationwide network of accessible centers allows for efficient, hassle-free testing. Customers enjoy the ease of scheduling and attending tests locally, making the process straightforward for employers and individuals alike, thanks to our expansive reach and dedication to service efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our hair follicle testing in Stewartville, AL is designed for simplicity and confidentiality. The process is streamlined to ensure ease of ordering, testing, and receiving results.
Addressing privacy concerns and maintaining confidentiality are central to our procedures, providing clients with a discreet and user-friendly experience from beginning to end.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Stewartville, AL, our competitive pricing structures and fast turnaround make hair follicle testing an affordable option. This cost-effective approach, coupled with quick result processing, offers excellent value for businesses of all sizes, providing certainty and swift action in drug testing outcomes. Clients are assured of the value they receive, promoting a prudent investment in workplace safety.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Renowned for its precision and speed, hair follicle drug testing in Stewartville, AL offers unmatched accuracy. This methodology is adept at pinpointing substance use with remarkable reliability, bolstering trust in the results.
The swift processing ensures that results are returned rapidly, empowering timely decision-making for employers and legal entities.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Stewartville, AL benefit from hair follicle testing by ensuring compliance with drug-free policies. This method aids in minimizing legal risks, providing a trustworthy solution that aligns with industry standards. The peace of mind offered by this testing mechanism helps fortify workplace safety, lauded for promoting a secure, drug-free environment.

Drug Testing Near Stewartville, AL

Goodwater-Kellyton, AL

Goodwater, AL

Fayetteville, AL

Oak Grove, AL

Weogufka-Marble Valley, AL

Mignon, AL

Sylacauga, AL

Talladega, AL

Hollins, AL

Weogufka, AL

Overbrook, AL

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews