Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Evans, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an effective method for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of substance use by trapping biomarkers within the strand's fibers as it grows. When taken from near the scalp, hair can provide up to a roughly 3-month detection period for alcohol and substances. Hair collection is straightforward, resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section of approximately 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, ideal for testing and confirmation. When testing for EtG, or more than 10 panels, recommend collecting 150mg. It's best to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If there's no scalp hair available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. Head hair refers only to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses other types (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).

Method Overview

The core steps in laboratory drug test analysis are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary processing of a sample within a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample was sealed and transported correctly, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as a preliminary assessment for drug presence. Although Screening is a cost-effective measure for excluding substance use in most samples, positive results need confirmation for legal admissibility. Any presumed positives in Screening warrant additional confirmation.

Should Screening indicate a possible positive, more hair is collected from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. During Extraction, substances are removed from hair at markedly lower levels than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), marking hair analysis as a challenging technique.

Any confirmed positives are validated via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All potential positives undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the lab process is rigorously inspected under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug analysis:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can track drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter windows.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair test is challenging, ensuring greater result accuracy.
• Offers historical insights: It provides a usage pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Cannot detect recent usage: Drugs become traceable in hair only after 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair testing is often costlier than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth rates can impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite being called "hair follicle tests," the procedure analyzes the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Understanding Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Tests in Evans, LA, illustrates the superiority of hair testing. With its enhanced detection periods, hair tests identify past substance use effectively, surpassing the capabilities of urine tests that offer a more limited detection window.

For employers and legal authorities, the increased accuracy and reliability of hair tests provide a more comprehensive assessment, reducing the likelihood of missed detections that could occur with urine testing, ensuring informed decision-making.

Extended Detection Window

With the extended detection period of hair follicle testing, Evans, LA employers gain a detailed view of an individual's substance use history. This test covers up to 90 days, a stark contrast to shorter windows found in other testing methods.

Such insight allows organizations to better assess potential or current employees, helping maintain a drug-free workplace and making it easier to uphold standards. This lengthened detection is pivotal for proactive decisions regarding hiring or employee management.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing presents a tamper-resistant solution for drug testing in Evans, LA. Unlike other testing methods, the risk of sample adulteration is significantly reduced, providing greater peace of mind.

This robust testing process ensures results are exact and trustworthy, as specimens cannot be easily altered or manipulated. This attribute is particularly valuable for employers in maintaining a reliable and fair testing environment.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key with our extensive network of testing centers in Evans, LA and nationwide. Accessing our testing services is swift and straightforward, minimizing the time and effort required.

Our widespread locations ensure you can undergo testing with ease, no matter where you are, making it simpler than ever to maintain compliance and ensure a reliable testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process set forth in Evans, LA for hair follicle testing is simple and confidential, making it accessible without compromising privacy. From ordering the tests to receiving the results, every step is designed with user convenience in mind.

With stringent protocols ensuring confidentiality, clients can rest assured their data is secure, facilitating a stress-free experience throughout the testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

We offer affordable pricing and fast turnaround times in Evans, LA, making hair follicle testing a valuable choice for companies of varying sizes. By aligning cost-effectiveness with speed, we meet the needs of businesses efficiently.

This blend of competitive pricing with rapid results delivery not only supports budgeting needs but also underscores the practicality of choosing superior testing methods for drug detection.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Achieving swift and reliable outcomes is at the core of our hair follicle testing in Evans, LA. Accredited Drug Testing excels in providing precise results that reflect true substance use, leaving no room for doubt. The accuracy of these tests is unparalleled, ensuring trustworthiness in every test performed.

One reason for the test's speed and reliability is its robust detection method, adept at identifying a wide range of substances with minimal chance of inaccuracies. Consequently, employers and individuals can be assured of the results they receive.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For Evans, LA employers, employing hair follicle testing ensures compliance and peace of mind. Employers can confidently enforce drug-free workplace policies, thereby diminishing legal risks associated with non-compliance.

Such exactitude not only enhances workplace safety but also fosters a culture of reliability and integrity. With dependable drug testing, employers can focus on other areas, assured of their workforce's adherence to company standards.

Drug Testing Near Evans, LA

Clare, LA

Fort Polk North, LA

Anacoco, LA

Toro, LA

Leesville, LA

Fort Polk South, LA

Merryville, LA

New Llano, LA

De Ridder, LA

DeRidder, LA

Ludington, LA

Rosepine, LA

Neame, LA

Knight, LA

Burr Ferry, LA

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