Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cabot, AR

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a potent approach for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended record of alcohol and drugs by embedding biomarkers within the hair shaft as it grows. When hair is collected near the scalp, it can reveal alcohol and drug usage up to a 3-month span. Hair is straightforward to gather, not easily tampered with, and simple to send.

A hair segment of 1.5 inches, comprising about 200 hairs (roughly the dimension of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is suggested. We advise using a jeweler's scale to measure the specimen. If scalp hair is not present, a comparable amount of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, we denote only scalp hair. Body hair comprises all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary stages in processing a drug test result in a lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the initial handling of a specimen into a lab's system. This process involves ensuring the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and filling out any additional entries not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening involves an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While it's a cost-effective means to exclude drug usage for most samples, a positive Screening needs confirmation to be valid in court. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening require additional confirmation.

Should a sample show presumptive positive results in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. At this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening among the toughest to carry out.

Confirming any positive screening result is done via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing as necessary before confirmation. The full lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is inspected under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair category and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug tests can uncover drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a briefer detection period.
• Hard to manipulate: It's highly challenging to deceive a hair drug test, which enhances result accuracy.
• Historical insight: It offers a pattern of drug usage over time, rather than merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests usually incur higher costs than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although sometimes called "hair follicle tests", the actual test analyzes the hair shaft, not the scalp follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing surpasses urine testing in Cabot, AR by offering enhanced detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests cover an extended detection window, ensuring comprehensive assessments of drug use.

While urine tests are limited in their detection period, hair tests shine with their long-term monitoring capability, making them a more effective tool for workplace screening and compliance.

Extended Detection Window

In Cabot, AR, hair follicle testing's extended detection window proves invaluable. Capturing drug usage history for up to 90 days, it provides the most thorough account of substance habits.

This extended timeframe allows employers to assess substance use over time, ensuring a more comprehensive evaluation of an employee or candidate's past behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The hair follicle test in Cabot, AR is known for its tamper-resistant nature. Unlike other methods, it greatly minimizes the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring trustworthy and unquestionable results.

By reducing opportunities for cheating, hair tests maintain integrity, offering peace of mind to employers investing in stringent screening processes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With nationwide locations including local facilities in Cabot, AR, our testing services provide unparalleled convenience. You can access quick and hassle-free testing due to our widespread presence.

This network ensures you can undergo testing without delays, benefiting from our expansive nationwide reach aligned with local accessibility.

Simple, Confidential Process

The testing process in Cabot, AR is both simple and confidential, addressing privacy concerns. We ensure ease when ordering, taking tests, and receiving results without compromising on confidentiality.

Our well-defined procedures guarantee simplicity for everyone involved, from applicants to employers, maintaining a smooth and discrete experience throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Cabot, AR, we offer affordable pricing with rapid turnaround times. Our competitive pricing structures ensure value for businesses, enhancing peace of mind with swift, accurate responses.

With our effective pricing and quick results, businesses of all sizes find excellent value in maintaining workplace integrity without breaking the bank.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Cabot, AR, hair follicle tests deliver fast, precise results. This testing method's high accuracy level ensures accurate substance detection, offering reliable outcomes that employers can trust.

The marked accuracy of hair follicle tests stems from their ability to comprehensively identify substance use over time, giving employers a clear picture in a timeframe unmatched by other tests.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Cabot, AR gain peace of mind with hair follicle testing as it aligns with drug-free workplace initiatives. This method ensures compliance, reducing potential legal risks while promoting safety.

The stringent nature of hair testing enforces workplace safety protocols, making it integral for organizations to maintain a secure and efficient environment.

Drug Testing Near Cabot, AR

McRae, AR

Cato, AR

Gibson, AR

Vilonia, AR

Gravel Ridge, AR

El Paso, AR

Butlerville, AR

Beebe, AR

Jacksonville, AR

Woodlawn, AR

Oak Grove, AR

Ward, AR

Austin, AR

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