Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Gardere, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as a potent means for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair encapsulates a prolonged record of alcohol and other drugs by securing biomarkers within the strands' fibers. When gathered near the scalp, hair can provide a detection window of up to approximately 3 months for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to ship.

Acquiring a 1.5-inch sample consisting of about 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil's size) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the preferred sample size for screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG tests, add-ons, and/or more than 10-panel tests, 150mg is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing is recommended. If head hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be gathered. References to head hair pertain only to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary step where a sample is integrated into a laboratory’s system. This process includes confirming that the sample is properly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening comprises an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical way to exclude drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screen must be verified for court admissibility. Any samples presumptively positive in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

If a sample is presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is carried out via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptively positive samples are cleansed as needed before confirmation. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can detect drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a more limited detection window.
• Hard to cheat: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, ensuring more precise results.
• Offers historical data: It can reveal a continuum of drug use over time, rather than just immediate consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Cost: Hair drug tests generally incur higher expenses compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates can influence metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: While commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Gardere, LA, hair follicle testing is increasingly preferred over urine tests due to several benefits. Hair tests offer enhanced detection accuracy and are renowned for reliability.

Compared to traditional urine tests, hair follicle tests offer a comprehensive view of drug use, capturing usage over a more extensive period, hence proving superior in many scenarios.

Employers and legal bodies in Gardere choose hair tests for their ability to provide unambiguous detection results, marking them as more effective than urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Gardere, LA is favored for its extended detection window, able to trace drug use up to 90 days prior, offering a broader view of substance history.

This extensive period of detection enables employers a thorough assessment of a candidate or employee’s drug history, aiding informed decision-making.

The capability of these tests to detect long-term drug usage lends them a significant advantage, making them an indispensable tool in effective substance monitoring.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Gardere, LA are distinguished by their tamper-resistant nature, which significantly minimizes the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring trustworthy results.

The adherence to observed collection protocols ensures that the testing process is secure, yielding results that are both reliable and unquestionable.

Given their resilient nature against tampering, hair tests provide a high level of certainty, which is paramount in scenarios demanding assured accuracy.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our nationwide and local testing centers in Gardere, LA make drug testing convenient, providing quick and seamless access to necessary testing services.

The widespread availability of our facilities ensures that individuals and businesses can conduct testing without unnecessary delays or complications.

With so many centers available, getting tested is hassle-free and straightforward, offering a practical solution to those needing drug screening services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The testing process in Gardere, LA is designed to be simple and confidential, from ordering a test to receiving the results, ensuring privacy is maintained throughout.

Participating in a drug test doesn’t need to be cumbersome; our approach ensures that each step is user-friendly and respects individual confidentiality.

This focus on simplicity and discretion instills confidence, ensuring participants feel secure in the process and its outcomes.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable pricing and quick turnaround characterize our drug testing services in Gardere, LA, delivering significant value to companies regardless of size.

Our competitive rates ensure you get high-quality results without breaking the bank, maintaining budget-friendly options.

Fast result delivery coupled with reasonable costs means businesses can depend on our services for timely and cost-effective drug screening.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug testing offers fast, precise, and reliable results in Gardere, LA. It stands out for its high level of accuracy in uncovering substance use, making it a preferred choice.

Ideal for situations demanding quick and accurate analyses, hair follicle testing promptly identifies drug usage, providing dependable outcomes that foster trust in the process.

Due to their inherent precision, these tests ensure that substance use is accurately detected, giving users confidence in the results they receive.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in Gardere, LA offers employers compliance with workplace drug-free policies, thereby easing legal burdens and elevating workplace safety.

By ensuring adherence to drug policies, hair tests foster a safer workplace atmosphere, adding a layer of security and peace of mind for employers.

Companies benefit from the assurance that their drug testing procedures align with standards, enhancing trust and reducing potential legal conflicts.

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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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