Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Avery Island, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair tests have emerged as a potent means for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a repository for alcohol and drug history by embedding biomarkers in the strands during growth. When obtained from near the scalp, hair can reveal approximately a 3-month period of drug and alcohol use. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to dispatch.

A 1.5-inch segment comprising roughly 200 strands of hair, similar in size to a #2 pencil, nearest to the scalp is needed to obtain 100mg, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For tests involving EtG, additional tests, and/or more than 10 panels, a total of 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is recommended. In the absence of scalp hair, a comparable quantity of body hair may be used. By head hair, we mean specifically scalp hair, whereas body hair refers to all other types (beard, armpit, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug test result processing in the lab comprises four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning denotes the initial incorporation of a sample into the lab’s system. This phase includes confirmation of the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any supplemental data entry not covered by electronic systems.

Screening constitutes a preliminary assessment for signs of drug abuse. It serves as a cost-effective method to dismiss drug presence in most samples, although any positive results warrant further confirmation to be legally accepted. Presumptive positive findings in Screening necessitate a follow-up confirmation.

In cases of presumed positive outcomes in Screening, further hair is extracted from the primary sample for the Extraction phase. At this point, drugs are isolated from hair at considerably lower levels than other methods (such as urine or saliva), highlighting the complexity of hair drug testing.

Confirmation of any initial positive outcome is achieved via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positives undergo washing prior to the confirmation stage as required. The entire process from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and in compliance with the ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can reveal drug use up to 90 days, offering a longer timeframe than urine tests.
• High resistance to deceit: Cheating a hair test is highly improbable, leading to more reliable outcomes.
• Offers usage timeline: Hair testing uncovers a history of drug use over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Delayed detection of recent use: Drugs become traceable in hair only after 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than other testing methods.
• Influence of variable factors: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth rates might impact drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Commonly labeled as "hair follicle tests", these evaluations actually analyze the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

While traditional urine testing has been a common practice, hair follicle testing in Avery Island, LA, illustrates clear advantages. Hair tests offer a vast detection period, anticipating up to 90 days of drug use, far superior compared to the narrower detection window of urine tests. This empowers employers with a broader understanding of an individual's substance history.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Avery Island, LA, is a noteworthy feature. Detecting drug use for as long as 90 days, this method allows employers a comprehensive insight into a candidate's or employee's past substance use, far exceeding the capabilities of urine tests in duration.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Avery Island, LA, significantly reduce the potential for tampering, thereby providing reliable and indisputable results. This testing method surpasses the vulnerabilities often encountered with urine testing, ensuring that samples are secure and manipulations are nearly impossible.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

An advantage of Accredited Drug Testing in Avery Island, LA, is the accessibility of nationwide testing centers. With locations readily available, it ensures an easy, convenient, and flexible testing experience, benefitting all customers with the necessity to test for drugs.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Avery Island, LA, the process of hair follicle testing is straightforward and private. The procedure for ordering, conducting, and receiving test results is tailored with confidentiality in mind, providing clients assurance regarding both simplicity and privacy concerns.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accommodating various business sizes in Avery Island, LA, Accredited Drug Testing maintains competitive pricing and quick result deliveries. The accessibility of affordable options, combined with rapid turnaround times, offers excellent value for every organization seeking drug testing services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Avery Island, LA, the hair follicle drug testing process provides not only high accuracy but also swift and trustworthy results. This method offers distinct precision in identifying substance use, ensuring that the findings are both reliable and fast. Clients can trust that the results they receive reflect a thorough and accurate examination of drug use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Avery Island, LA, gain substantial peace of mind through hair follicle testing, reinforcing workplace drug-free policies and minimizing potential legal liabilities. This compliance not only ensures adherence to regulations but also enhances overall workplace safety consistently.

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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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