Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Gray, LA

Employment, DOT, Court Ordered, Personal
Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG

0 Hair Drug Testing Centers in Gray

Minutes Away, Test Today

Employment, Court Ordered, Probation, Family

In Gray, Louisiana, Accredited Drug Testing offers extensive hair follicle drug testing services. If a hair-based drug or alcohol screen is needed, our specialization in hair testing ensures availability in cities nationwide. Generally, 1.5 to 2 inches of hair from the head or body is necessary. This test can detect drugs, alcohol/ETG, or be tailored for specific needs.

The use of hair follicle drug tests has been on the rise in recent years for drug screening. Employers, courts, and Substance Abuse experts now prefer hair drug testing over traditional urine tests. Employers with a zero-tolerance drug policy and courts often favor hair testing due to its longer detection window of up to 90 days, observed collection process, and resistance to tampering. Despite its strengths, urine tests remain the preferred method for detecting recent drug use within the last five days.

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis emerges as a significant resource in detecting drug and alcohol intake. Hair captures long-term consumption patterns of substances by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand fibers as they grow. Collected from near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use within approximately a 3-month window. The collection of hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for transport.

A sample consisting of 1.5 inches of roughly 200 hair strands (nearing the thickness of a #2 pencil) adjacent to the scalp equates to 100mg of hair, which is optimal for initial and confirmatory analysis. For EtG, additional screenings, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It is recommended to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not accessible, a comparable quantity of body hair may be procured. When referring to head hair, it specifically indicates scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair categories (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The core stages involved in lab-based drug test processing include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the preliminary integration of a sample into a lab’s framework. This step involves ensuring the sample’s seal and shipment integrity, designating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any requisite data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as a preliminary inspection for substance abuse. Although Screening is an economically efficient approach to exclude drug consumption for most samples, a positive result necessitates confirmation to be court-admissible. Samples with presumptive positive results from Screening mandate subsequent confirmation.

For samples that yield presumptively positive results during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for further Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), affirming why hair drug screening ranks as the most intricate methodology.

Confirmation of any positive Screening result is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if needed. The complete laboratory sequence, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized as per the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair directive and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

  • Prolonged detection window: Hair drug tests identify drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter monitoring span.
  • Enhanced test integrity: Hair drug testing is notably complex to manipulate, ensuring more precise outcomes.
  • Offers historical insights: It reveals a timeline of drug utilization over a specified duration, rather than merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

  • Lack of immediacy: Drugs don't become evident in hair for about 5-7 days post-use.
  • Expense: Generally, hair drug tests incur higher costs compared to other testing methods.
  • Result variability: Elements such as hair pigment and individual hair growth rates can impact drug metabolite levels detected.

Note: Although often dubbed "hair follicle tests", the evaluation focuses on the hair strand, omitting the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Surpasses Urine Testing in Gray, LA

Hair testing outshines urine tests by offering superior detection reliability and accuracy. In Gray, LA, hair testing provides insights into broader substance use patterns, making it essential for comprehensive evaluations over traditional urine screening.

Compared to urine tests, hair follicle testing covers a more extended timeframe, capturing a larger window of drug activity, thus becoming a more robust tool for employers.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window Advantage in Gray, LA

With hair follicle tests, drug use can be identified up to 90 days back in Gray, LA. This extended window allows employers to gain a complete view of an individual's substance usage, assisting in making informed employment decisions.

The extended detection capability of hair tests provides a broader timeline for understanding past drug habits, setting it apart from shorter duration methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing in Gray, LA

Hair follicle testing in Gray, LA significantly lessens the risk of sample tampering, ensuring that results are reliable and unquestionable. This robust method keeps the integrity of drug testing intact, providing trustworthy results.

The process ensures confidence due to its resistance to adulteration, offering a high level of reliability that's crucial in drug detection.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Testing Center Access in Gray, LA

Gray, LA benefits from Accredited Drug Testing's extensive network of testing centers, providing easy and hassle-free access to drug screening services nationwide, ensuring convenience for all.

This network allows for quick test access, making the procedure both efficient and straightforward, catering to the needs of businesses and individuals.

Simple, Confidential Process

Confidential and Simple Process in Gray, LA

In Gray, LA, the procedure for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential, ensuring privacy from ordering to result reception, no matter the circumstances or requirements.

Addressing concerns of ease and confidentiality, the process offers peace of mind with a user-friendly approach that maintains personal privacy throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive Pricing and Quick Results in Gray, LA

Our testing services in Gray, LA provide affordable solutions with fast turnaround times, ensuring excellent value while maintaining high standards of drug testing.

Understanding the needs of businesses of all sizes, we offer competitive rates, ensuring that quality does not compromise affordability or speed in delivering results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results for Hair Testing in Gray, LA

Hair follicle drug testing in Gray, LA offers unmatched precision and speed in substance detection. Its high accuracy ensures dependable results, making it ideal for assessing drug use efficiently and swiftly in various settings.

The procedure's accuracy in detecting drug use sets it apart from other testing methods, providing results that are both fast and trustworthy, meeting the demands of modern drug screening needs.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Employer Assurance in Gray, LA

Utilizing hair follicle testing helps ensure that employers in Gray, LA comply with drug-free policies, reducing legal liabilities and creating a safer workplace environment.

This testing method strengthens compliance with various regulations, minimizing risks while enhancing the overall security and safety within the workplace.

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.


Gray Drug Testing

Quickly find trusted local drug testing centers in Gray, LA — fast, convenient, and reliable every time!

Gray DOT Drug Testing

Quickly find a local DOT drug testing center in Gray, LA — fast, reliable, convenient nationwide service!

Gray DNA Testing

DNA testing for legal and non-legal purposes including child support, and child custody around Gray, LA.

Gray Industry Training

Including specimen collector training, DER training, reasonable suspicion training and much more in Gray, LA.v

Gray Hair Drug Testing

Get fast, accurate hair drug testing at our convenient Gray, LA locations—results you can trust, every time!

Gray Alcohol Testing

Fast, reliable alcohol testing to keep your workplace safe and compliant every single day in Gray, LA.

Gray Drug Testing Services

Reliable nationwide drug testing services ensuring accuracy, compliance, and quick results for businesses and individuals in Gray, LA.

Gray 5 Panel Drug Test

Accurate 5 panel drug testing with fast, confidential results—trusted by Gray, LA employers and individuals nationwide.

Gray 10 Panel Drug Test

Comprehensive 10 panel drug testing with fast, reliable results—trusted for Gray, LA workplace and personal testing needs.

Gray On Site Drug Testing

Convenient on-site mobile drug testing with fast, reliable results—saving time while keeping your Gray, LA workplace compliant.

Gray DOT Physicals

Certified DOT physicals with quick, reliable exams to keep Gray, LA drivers compliant and on the road with confidence.

DOT Consortium

Join our DOT consortium for hassle-free compliance, random testing management, and reliable driver safety solutions.


Frequently Asked Questions

A hair follicle drug test analyzes a small sample of hair to detect a history of drug use over time. Because drug metabolites are incorporated into hair as it grows, this method can show patterns of use instead of just recent exposure. It is frequently used for legal and court requirements, long-term monitoring, and high-trust workforce screening.
Standard hair drug testing typically reflects drug use over approximately a 90-day period, based on the length of hair collected at the time of testing. Longer hair can sometimes reflect a longer time frame, and extremely short hair can reduce that window.
Hair drug testing commonly screens for marijuana/THC, cocaine, opiates/opioids, amphetamines/methamphetamines, and PCP. In many cases, additional expanded panels may be requested to include other substances.
Yes. If the donor's head hair is too short or unavailable, body hair may be collected as an alternative. The collector will document the source of the sample. This allows testing even for individuals with recently cut or shaved head hair.
Yes. Hair drug testing is commonly used in court, probation, custody, and compliance matters because the collection process follows a documented chain of custody and the analysis is performed by a certified laboratory. Results are provided in a form that can be reviewed by legal and administrative authorities.
Yes. Individuals, parents, attorneys, employers, and probation programs can all request hair drug testing. A doctor's order is not required. Results are confidential and released only to the authorized requesting party.
Hair testing provides a longer look-back period than urine testing, making it useful when you need to demonstrate ongoing abstinence or identify repeated/recent substance use patterns over time rather than just recent exposure. It is frequently selected for legal, compliance, and custody-related documentation.
A small section of hair is cut by a trained collector in a discreet, controlled manner. The sample is sealed, documented, and sent to the laboratory under established chain-of-custody procedures so that the results can be defended if they are ever challenged.

Customer Reviews

Thank You!!

I needed a quick drug test for visitation with my children. I called at 6am they answered and set me up with a place a couple miles from my house to go get the test done, that was on Wednesday, I had the results on Friday afternoon and was able to see my kids on Saturday. Thank you for the help!

Mark Broadhead - 2/12/2025

Very Fun and Easy

Trish last week and Tatiana this week, very fun and easy folks to deal with. Well be using them more and more in the future.

Tom O - 12/19/2024

Very professional and very quick

Very professional and very quick service to schedule appointments! I am pleased with the services and would definitely recommend using them for any drug testing needs!

Carrie Feerick - 4/19/2025


(800) 221-4291