Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bassett, AR

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. As hair grows, it captures biomarkers within its strands, offering a historical record of substance use. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal alcohol and drug use over a period of up to three months. It's easy to gather, hard to tamper with, and simple to send.

A 1.5-inch lock consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) taken closest to the scalp will amount to about 100mg, which is ideal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional needs, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample size of 150mg is suggested. We advise using a jeweler’s scale for measuring the sample. If scalp hair is not available, body hair of a similar amount may be used. References to head hair pertain solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The procedure for processing a drug test result in a lab consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial entry of a specimen into the lab’s system. This step ensures that the specimen was appropriately sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and enters any further data that an electronic chain of custody system might not provide.

Screening involves an expedited check for potential drug abuse. Although Screening offers a cost-effective means to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be valid in legal contexts. Samples flagged as potentially positive during Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for Extraction, where drugs are extracted at significantly lower concentrations than in other tests (such as urine or oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of positive screening results is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before confirmation, all samples testing presumptively positive are washed if necessary. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair certification and adherence to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests identify drug use for as long as 90 days, while urine tests have a shorter window.
• Hard to manipulate: It's very challenging to tamper with a hair drug test, ensuring higher accuracy.
• Offers historical insights: It reveals a trend of drug use over time rather than only recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of recent use detection: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to appear in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: The test is commonly called a "hair follicle test", but it examines the hair strand rather than the follicle underneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Bassett, AR, hair follicle testing surpasses urine testing in multiple ways. Its extended detection window allows for better accuracy and reliability, making it a preferred choice for employers. Unlike traditional urine tests, hair tests are challenging to tamper with, giving trustworthy results consistently.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Bassett, AR benefit from the hair follicle test's extended detection window. Capable of identifying drug use up to 90 days prior, it offers a comprehensive overview of an individual's substance history, critical for hiring decisions and employee evaluations.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Bassett, AR hair follicle testing robustly minimizes sample adulteration risks. This method's innate resistance to tampering ensures that the results remain credible and irrefutable, giving stakeholders peace of mind concerning the integrity of the tests.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our nationwide testing centers, including those in Bassett, AR, provide unparalleled convenience. With numerous locations, individuals have swift, stress-free access to hair follicle tests, ensuring both local and broad-scale availability.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in Bassett, AR is simple and confidential. From ordering tests to receiving outcomes, clients experience a private and straightforward journey, alleviating privacy concerns and ensuring seamless testing.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and rapid result delivery characterize our hair follicle testing in Bassett, AR. Companies, regardless of size, enjoy cost-effective solutions coupled with quick turnaround times, affirming the value provided by our services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bassett, AR, hair follicle drug tests deliver results that are both quick and precise. These tests are renowned for their high accuracy, detecting substances more effectively than other testing methods. By applying advanced technology, hair testing provides fast outcomes, ensuring timely decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Bassett, AR aligns with workplace drug-free policies, bolstering compliance and mitigating legal exposures. Employers gain confidence knowing their drug testing practices enhance workplace safety and remain within regulatory frameworks.

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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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