Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mitchellville, AR

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as a potent method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a long-term record of drugs and alcohol by capturing biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When clipped near the scalp, hair offers a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and other substances. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch lock of roughly 200 hair strands (about a #2 pencil's width) nearest the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen. If scalp hair can't be sampled, an equivalent amount of body hair can be obtained. "Head hair" specifically refers to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four principal steps in processing a lab drug test result: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initiation of processing a sample into a lab system. It involves ensuring the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry not available from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary rapid assessment for drug abuse. While cost-effective for eliminating most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be acceptable in legal settings. Presumptive positives in Screening necessitate a further confirmation step.

If a sample is presumptive in Screening, additional hair is extracted for the Extraction stage. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at far lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Positive screening confirmations utilize GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation as needed. The entire process, from Accessioning through Confirmation, is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests reveal drug use for up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which have a shorter detection window.
• Difficulty to cheat: Cheating a hair drug test is very challenging, ensuring greater accuracy.
• Provides historical data: It outlines a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: It takes approximately 5-7 days before drugs become noticeable in hair.
• Cost: Generally, hair drug tests are more pricey than other forms of drug testing.
• Variations in results: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why does hair follicle testing outperform urine testing in Mitchellville, AR? Primarily, it offers superior accuracy and reliability in detection. Unlike urine tests, hair follicle analysis can uncover substances used up to 90 days prior, ensuring a comprehensive substance history check and reducing the chances of tampering significantly.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle tests is a significant advantage. In Mitchellville, AR, employers can gain insights into an individual’s drug use history over a notable duration of up to 90 days. This extended time frame allows for a thorough evaluation of an applicant or employee’s past substance interactions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Mitchellville, AR, hair follicle tests stand out due to their tamper-resistant nature. The integrity of samples is maintained through secure collection methods, virtually eliminating the risk of sample adulteration. This makes hair tests a most reliable method for drug detection, offering unquestionable results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Discover the convenience of Accredited Drug Testing’s nationwide centers, including those in Mitchellville, AR. Thanks to the accessibility of various local facilities, obtaining a test is a quick and hassle-free process, ensuring that your needs are met efficiently wherever you are.

Simple, Confidential Process

Ordering, conducting, and receiving results through hair follicle testing in Mitchellville, AR, is straightforward and confidential. Our services prioritize privacy, making the process simple for users concerned with ease of use and the protection of personal data during drug testing procedures.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, Accredited Drug Testing in Mitchellville, AR, provides substantial value. Their affordable rates and quick results cater to companies of all sizes, offering both financial savings and peace of mind to businesses ensuring drug-free work environments.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Mitchellville, AR, hair follicle tests offer fast and precise results. Their ability to accurately detect substance use is unmatched, providing peace of mind with their reliable analysis. The speed at which these tests return definitive results makes them an invaluable tool for employers and legal entities needing efficient substance use detection.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Mitchellville, AR, find peace of mind knowing that hair follicle tests aid in maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace policies. The assurance of accurate results helps reduce legal risks and bolsters a safer working environment, enhancing overall organizational integrity.

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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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