Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hall Summit, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying alcohol and drug consumption. It offers a prolonged substance use history by embedding biomolecules within the hair fiber. When sampled near the root, hair may demonstrate up to a three-month detection window for substances like drugs and alcohol. Collecting hair is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

By gathering a 1.5-inch section of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil in thickness) near the scalp, one can yield 100mg of hair, suitable for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional, or extensive panels beyond ten, a specimen weight of 150mg is preferable. We advocate measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not accessible, a corresponding amount of body hair may be retrieved. The term "head hair" pertains specifically to scalp hair. Other types of hair (such as facial, axillary, etc.) are referred to as body hair.

Process Overview

The critical steps in processing a drug test in the lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning begins with the preliminary processing of a sample within the lab's system. This stage ensures the sample is sealed and sent correctly, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and addresses any missing information not entered via an electronic custody system.

Screening consists of a brief evaluation to detect drug abuse. While cost-efficient, screening necessitates confirmation for any positive findings to hold up in legal proceedings. Samples that initially test positive during Screening require further confirmation.

If Screening results suggest a positive finding, additional hair is selected from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. Here, drugs are drawn from the hair at a lower concentration than other approaches (such as urine or saliva), making hair drug screening notably challenging to execute.

GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods confirm any positive screen results. A thorough washing of every presumptive positive sample occurs before confirmation if deemed essential. The transition from Accessioning to Confirmation within the lab adheres to both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair accreditation and ISO/IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug assessments can discover drug consumption for up to 90 days, unlike urine assessments with a shorter detection duration.
• Challenging to falsify: A hair drug test is difficult to falsify, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Historical insight: Provides a historical timeline of substance use as opposed to only recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Drugs typically become visible in hair after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are usually costlier than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth differences might impact drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: While sometimes termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis is conducted on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the skin.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Hall Summit, LA
Hair follicle testing provides an edge over traditional urine tests due to superior detection accuracy and reliability. While urine tests might catch substance use within a limited timeframe, hair tests identify longer-term patterns, offering a more comprehensive understanding of an individual’s habits, which is crucial for effective policy enforcement.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Hall Summit, LA
The extended detection period of hair follicle testing allows employers to view substance use over up to 90 days, providing a fuller picture of an individual's drug history. This ability to uncover longer-term patterns is invaluable for making informed decisions about candidates or employees, ensuring trust and safety in the workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Hall Summit, LA
The integrity of hair follicle testing is unparalleled due to its resistance to sample tampering. Unlike easily manipulated methods, hair tests yield results that are reliable and credible, ensuring no interference can compromise the accuracy of the findings, thereby maintaining the credibility of workplace testing procedures.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Hall Summit, LA
Our extensive network of testing centers nationwide ensures easy access for those in Hall Summit. With local and national facilities, testing is convenient and efficient, eliminating delays and providing a seamless experience for users who need quick drug-testing services without unnecessary travel or hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Hall Summit, LA
The process of conducting hair follicle drug tests is both simple and confidential, ensuring privacy at every step—from ordering to receiving results. This approach dispels concerns around privacy, making the process straightforward and stress-free for individuals, while keeping personal information protected.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Hall Summit, LA
We offer competitive pricing structures with quick result delivery, providing valuable solutions for businesses. Whether large or small, organizations benefit from our efficient turnaround and cost-effective options, allowing them to make timely decisions without budgeting burdens.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Hall Summit, LA
Hair follicle drug testing in Hall Summit offers precise and rapid analysis. It delivers results that confidently pinpoint substance use, outperforming other methods in terms of accuracy. With a focus on speed and reliability, this method stands out for its high degree of certainty, making it ideal for urgent and critical situations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Hall Summit, LA
Utilizing hair follicle testing helps employers adhere to drug-free workplace regulations, minimizing legal liabilities and enhancing safety. The credibility and thoroughness of test results foster a secure environment, offering peace of mind to employers that their workplace policies are upheld effectively and reliably.

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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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