Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lake End, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair captures a comprehensive history of alcohol and substances by retaining biomarkers within the hair's fibers as it grows. When taken close to the scalp, hair offers nearly a 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and drugs. It is easy to collect, somewhat hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (resembling the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional testing, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, it is advisable to have 150mg of the sample. We advocate using a jeweler's scale to measure the sample. In situations where scalp hair is not available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be used. By head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test result consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, the sample undergoes initial handling within the laboratory system. This step includes ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and sent, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary swift assessment for drugs of abuse. Screening provides a reasonable method to exclude drug utilization in most samples, but a positive result necessitates confirmation for legal admissibility. All samples that show presumptive positives in Screening require further confirmation.

Presumptive positives from the Screening stage prompt the use of more hair from the original sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations much lower than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging to execute.

Confirmatory testing for any positive screening is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are preliminarily washed as needed before confirmation. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and certified to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection span.
• Cheating complications: Hair drug tests are particularly resistant to tampering, enhancing result reliability.
• Historical usage insights: It reveals a drug use pattern over time rather than recent usage only.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: There is a 5-7 day delay before drugs are detectable in hair.
• Expense: Testing hair samples usually costs more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth variations can impact drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although frequently termed "hair follicle tests," the assessment examines the hair strand instead of the scalp's follicle

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

The case for choosing hair follicle testing over urine tests is strong in Lake End, LA. These tests exhibit not only heightened detection accuracy but also unrivaled reliability. Compared to urine tests, hair testing offers a longer detection window and cannot be manipulated as easily, making it the superior choice for comprehensive drug screening.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Lake End, LA benefit from hair follicle testing’s extended detection window, which traces drug use up to 90 days back. This capability provides a detailed overview of an employee or candidate's substance history, helping maintain a drug-free workplace made possible by the long-lasting detection power of hair analysis.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests conducted in Lake End, LA, are notably tamper-resistant. The method effectively minimizes sample adulteration risks, delivering results that are both trustworthy and irrefutable. Such integrity in testing ensures accurate assessments for employers and institutions seeking reliable data.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Testing ensures convenience with numerous testing centers spread Nationwide, including those in Lake End, LA. This expansive network allows clients quick and hassle-free access to testing services, offering ease and accessibility in drug testing procedures across the board.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our processes in Lake End, LA ensure that ordering, undertaking, and obtaining results from hair follicle tests is simple and confidential. Clients experience a seamless journey, with privacy paramount at every step - acknowledging and addressing any concerns about discretion with professionalism.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Lake End, LA, we pride ourselves on offering affordable pricing and rapid turnaround times. Our competitive pricing structures and the swift delivery of results provide businesses of all sizes with exceptional value and peace of mind, emphasizing cost-efficiency without compromising quality.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Lake End, LA, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their precision and speed. These tests are renowned for their high accuracy in identifying substance use, offering fast, dependable results that clients trust. The efficiency of this testing method ensures minimal wait times, translating into timely, actionable information.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Lake End, LA, assures employers of compliance with drug-free workplace policies, significantly reducing legal risks while enhancing workplace safety. This method bolsters confidence in maintaining a secure and efficient working environment, fostering peace of mind for all involved.

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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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