Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Choctaw, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a timeline of drug and alcohol use, encapsulating biomarkers within the hair fiber as it grows. When hair is collected near the scalp, it can reveal substance use for up to three months. Hair collection is easy, difficult to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields about 100mg of hair, optimal for both screening and confirmation procedures. For tests that include EtG, additional panels, or exceed 10 panels, a 150mg sample is suggested. We advise weighing it using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, equivalent body hair can be used instead. 'Head hair' refers specifically to scalp hair, while 'body hair' encompasses other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug test laboratory process comprises four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into a lab's system. This step verifies that the sample was securely sealed and correctly sent, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing information not captured by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening performs an initial assessment for drug abuse. While Screening can efficiently exclude drug use in most samples, a positive finding requires Confirmation to stand in legal forums. Any sample potentially positive during Screening mandates a follow-up confirmation.

Should a sample be potentially positive in Screening, additional hair is prepared from the original sample for Extraction. This process removes drugs from hair with far lower concentration levels than other methods (such as urine or oral fluids), making hair drug testing the most intricate methodology to execute.

Confirmation of a positive Screen is executed with GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All possibly positive samples undergo washing before Confirmation if required. From Accessioning through Confirmation, each laboratory step is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and observes ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can identify drug consumption for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a shorter timeframe.
• Challenging to falsify: Hair drug testing proves hard to cheat, therefore yielding more reliable outcomes.
• Reveals usage patterns: It discloses drug usage trends over time, beyond merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent intake: Drugs need approximately 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expensive: Hair drug tests are generally costlier than alternative drug testing options.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentration in hair may vary due to factors such as hair color and individual growth differences.

Note: Though commonly named "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Choctaw, LA, offers significant advantages over urine tests. With a much longer detection period, hair tests reveal substance use over an extended time, providing superior detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, which detect recent drug use, hair analysis offers a comprehensive view, enabling employers to make informed decisions based on more detailed substance history.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Choctaw, LA, is a significant advantage. This method can identify drug use for up to 90 days, offering employers a detailed perspective on an individual's substance history. As a result, hair testing provides a more thorough understanding of an employee's or applicant's past behaviors, enabling informed decisions when it comes to employment practices.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Choctaw, LA, are highly resistant to tampering, ensuring reliable and unbiased results. This testing method mitigates the risk of sample adulteration, providing employers with peace of mind by delivering conclusive evidence regarding an individual's substance use without the possibility of manipulation, ensuring integrity and reliability in drug testing processes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Choctaw, LA, Accredited Drug Testing offers convenient testing locations nationwide, ensuring quick access to testing services whenever needed. With local and nationwide centers, our process is designed to be swift and hassle-free, providing employers and individuals easy access to reliable drug testing services, regardless of their location.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Choctaw, LA, is simple and confidential, ensuring that ordering, taking, and receiving results is easy and discreet. We prioritize privacy and aim to provide a seamless experience, addressing privacy concerns and guaranteeing a straightforward testing procedure that maintains confidentiality throughout the entire process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Choctaw, LA, hair follicle testing offers affordable pricing combined with fast turnaround times. Our competitive pricing structure ensures excellent value for companies of all sizes, and quick result delivery provides peace of mind to employers who need efficient and cost-effective drug testing solutions without compromising on quality or reliability.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Choctaw, LA, hair follicle drug testing is renowned for its speed and accuracy in detecting drug use. The process is quick and provides reliable results that are invaluable for employers seeking to maintain a drug-free environment. This testing method offers a high level of precision, ensuring that substance use is detected effectively and efficiently, giving companies the confidence they need in their hiring and employment policies.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle testing in Choctaw, LA, ensures compliance with workplace drug-free policies, reducing legal risks for employers. This method enhances workplace safety and offers employers peace of mind, knowing that their testing procedures align with regulations and contribute to a safer, more productive environment, devoid of substance abuse.

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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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