Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hagewood, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair captures a comprehensive timeline of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers within the hair's growing fibers. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe of up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and easy to send.

A 1.5-inch section comprising approximately 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil’s width) near the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the preferred sample for precise screening and confirmation. For tests like EtG, additional panels, and examinations beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen is beneficial. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. References to head hair specifically mean scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types (like facial and axillary hair).

Process Overview

The laboratory drug test processing includes four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step where a sample is integrated into a lab’s system. This involves ensuring the sample's seal and shipping were handled correctly, generating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry that wasn't provided by electronic chain of custody systems.

Screening is a preliminary rapid assessment for detecting drug abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient method for dismissing drug usage in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be court-admissible. Samples identified as presumptively positive in Screening mandate further confirmation.

When a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are separated from hair at much lower concentrations than in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging technique to implement.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are washed if necessary. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is overseen with respect to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection time: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use spanning up to 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a shorter window.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is quite challenging, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Historical insight: It supplies a usage pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Though commonly called "hair follicle tests", the actual test focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle located beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Hagewood, LA, hair follicle testing has a significant edge over urine testing.
The certainty provided by hair tests is unmatched, largely due to its robust detection accuracy and reliability. Hair testing surpasses traditional urine tests, allowing professionals to uncover a history of substance usage with greater detail and accuracy, enhancing the integrity of the results.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Hagewood, LA benefit from the extensive detection window offered by hair follicle testing.
This technique unveils drug use for up to 90 days, presenting a comprehensive view of an individual's substance history. It aids in confirming consistent sobriety or identifying possible patterns that may impact workplace safety and productivity.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The hair follicle test in Hagewood, LA is a tamper-resistant method, minimizing risks of sample manipulation.
This advanced testing technology provides dependable, unalterable results, ensuring trustworthy outcomes for all parties involved. The stringent collection and analysis procedures make it nearly impossible to circumvent.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient testing centers nationwide, residents in Hagewood, LA benefit from easy access to testing services.
Our extensive network ensures rapid and straightforward service delivery, making it hassle-free for individuals and employers to partake in reliable testing procedures wherever they are.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Hagewood, LA, the hair follicle drug testing process is straightforward and confidential.
From ordering to receiving results, the process is designed with user-friendliness in mind, ensuring privacy is maintained at all levels. It offers an ease of use that addresses any patient concerns effectively.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Hagewood, LA offers hair follicle drug testing at competitive, affordable rates.
Our pricing model coupled with swift turnaround times ensures excellent value for organizations of all sizes. It provides companies assurance that they receive dependable services without the strain of exorbitant costs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug testing in Hagewood, LA provides fast and precise results.
The ability to detect substances with high accuracy makes this method superior. It caters especially to those needing reliable insights into potential substance use. Our advanced techniques ensure swift and exact detection, facilitating informed decision-making with confidence in the integrity of the results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle drug testing in Hagewood, LA helps businesses adhere to drug-free workplace policies,
thereby lowering legal risks and bolstering safety. This testing ensures compliance, providing employers with peace of mind, knowing that their work environment is safeguarded against potential substance abuse-related issues.

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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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