Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Braithwaite, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly regarded as an effective means for uncovering substance and alcohol consumption. It captures long-term substance footprints and alcohol in the hair's developing fibers. When procured near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a roughly three-month span of detection for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, comparatively hard to tamper with, and straightforward to mail.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of close to 200 hair strands (approximately the dimension of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will offer 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for evaluating and confirming. For EtG, supplementary, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, it's advised to use 150mg of the sample. We suggest measuring the sample on a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be inaccessible, a similar quantity of body hair may be gathered. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair refers to all other hair types (like facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four primary phases in the lab processing of a drug test result are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning incorporates the initial processing of a specimen into the lab’s system. This encompasses ensuring the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any further data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody method.

Screening consists of a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of misuse. Though Screening offers a budget-friendly means to rule out drug usage for most specimens, a positive result mandates confirmation for it to be valid in court. Any specimens that show preliminary positivity in Screening do necessitate a secondary verification.

If a specimen shows preliminary positivity during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for preparation for Extraction. In this phase, substances are removed from hair at lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), hence hair drug analysis is the most challenging method to conduct.

Verification of any positive result from screening is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive specimens are cleansed before confirmation as required. The comprehensive laboratory process encompassing Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair label and accreditation according to ISO / IEC 17025 guidelines.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug analyses can detect substance use for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests which have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Challenging to falsify: It's exceedingly hard to deceive a hair drug analysis, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers longitudinal insights: It can trace substance use over a timeframe, not just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect current use: It takes around 5-7 days for substances to become noticeable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug analyses are typically pricier than alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Factors such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can impact the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: While frequently referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis itself focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle below the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Braithwaite, LA, hair testing surpasses urine tests by detecting substance use over extended periods.

This method provides superior detection and reliability, offering insights urine tests cannot match.

Extended Detection Window

Hair testing in Braithwaite, LA offers an impressive detection window, revealing substance use for up to 90 days.

This method empowers employers with a thorough understanding of a person's substance history, more than what's possible with other tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Braithwaite, LA is inherently resistant to tampering, ensuring results remain trustworthy.

Unlike urine tests, it's nearly impossible to alter hair samples, providing a more secure screening option.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient access to nationwide testing centers, including Braithwaite, LA, ensures quick and hassle-free service.

Enjoy seamless access to our extensive network, designed to cater to your testing needs efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair testing process in Braithwaite, LA is simple and confidential.

We address privacy concerns and ensure ease at every step, from ordering to receiving results, ensuring a seamless experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Braithwaite, LA, our affordable pricing and fast turnaround make drug testing accessible.

Competitive rates and prompt results offer excellent value, catering to companies of any size.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Braithwaite, LA, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their speed and accuracy. Compared to traditional methods, this testing swiftly delivers precise outcomes.

With such efficient results, hair testing offers unparalleled reliability for detecting substance use, ensuring informed decisions based on trusted data.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Braithwaite, LA achieve compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing.

This approach supports drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal risks while enhancing safety.

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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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