Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Husser, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has gained recognition as an effective instrument for detecting substance use involving drugs and alcohol. Hair acts as a timeline record of alcohol and drug consumption by capturing biomarkers in the hair strand as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for substances such as alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to gather, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of around 200 hair strands (roughly equivalent to a #2 pencil's thickness) taken closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, deemed the ideal sample for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is recommended to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. In cases where scalp hair is not available, an equal volume of body hair can be collected. By "head hair," we are specifically referring to scalp hair only. "Body hair" encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning constitutes the initial handling of a sample within a laboratory’s system. This step includes ensuring the sample was accurately sealed and sent, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid analysis to check for drug abuse. Although Screening offers a cost-effective method to exclude drug use across most samples, a positive result in Screening needs confirmation for court admissibility. Thus, any samples flagged as presumptively positive during Screening require a further confirmation step.

If a sample is flagged as presumptively positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. In this step, drugs are separated from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening a particularly challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation for any positive result from Screening is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All samples with presumptive positive results undergo a wash prior to confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory workflow, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can identify substance use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter time frame.
• Difficulty to cheat: Hair drug testing is notoriously hard to cheat, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Provides historical data: Hair testing offers a usage pattern over time, rather than merely indicating recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Approximately 5-7 days are needed for drugs to show up in hair.
• Cost: Generally, hair drug testing incurs higher costs compared to other methods.
• Variations in results: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth can influence the drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: Though frequently termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Husser, LA

When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine tests, hair analysis showcases superior detection capabilities. While urine tests cover a brief detection window and are more susceptible to tampering, hair testing overcomes these limitations by providing a longer and more accurate history of substance use. Employers and legal entities praise its reliability, ensuring consistent and dependable results.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Husser, LA

Hair follicle testing offers an extended detection period, capturing drug use up to 90 days prior. This allows employers and agencies to gain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance history. Such a long detection timeframe proves invaluable, especially when ongoing substance use monitoring is crucial for employment or legal purposes.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Husser, LA

Hair follicle tests significantly minimize the threat of sample adulteration, ensuring results cannot be easily manipulated. The stringent sample collection procedures and the inherent qualities of hair composition make these tests tamper-proof. This high level of security assures that test results are legitimate and trustworthy, eliminating doubts about potential interference.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Husser, LA

Our extensive network of nationwide testing centers simplifies access to drug testing services with swift and convenient sessions. With local facilities in Husser, LA, individuals can easily access the required assessments without hassle, ensuring a smooth process from appointment to result.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Husser, LA

The hair follicle testing process is straightforward and respects privacy at every stage, from scheduling the test to receiving results. This seamless, confidential procedure ensures that personal information is protected, addressing any concerns about privacy while remaining user-friendly for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Husser, LA

With competitive pricing structures and rapid turnaround times, companies of all sizes benefit from efficient and cost-effective drug testing services. Our commitment to providing value ensures that businesses can confidently employ these services without financial strain, while maintaining high standards of testing quality and speed.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Husser, LA

Hair follicle drug testing offers unmatched precision and swiftness in detecting drug use, providing robust results that assure accuracy. The meticulous analysis performed on hair samples reveals comprehensive substance use history, ensuring reliability in results. This method of testing guarantees high accuracy due to the organic nature of sample collection and processing, reducing misinterpretations and errors.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Husser, LA

Employers can achieve compliance with drug-free workplace policies by implementing hair follicle testing, which enhances workplace safety and mitigates legal risks. This method not only meets regulatory requirements but also fosters a secure, drug-free environment, offering employers peace of mind around maintaining a lawful and safe work setting.

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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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