Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lisbon, LA

What it is, How it works

Utilizing hair testing has grown into a highly effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a chronological archive of alcohol and drug exposure by encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair shaft. Collected near the scalp, hair offers a detection span of approximately three months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, difficult to tamper with, and uncomplicated to transport.

Collecting a 1.5-inch segment of around 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg, ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG enhancements or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. It's recommended to use a jeweler's scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent amount of body hair is acceptable. "Head hair" refers exclusively to scalp hair, while "body hair" indicates all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary procedures in laboratory analysis of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial phase of sample processing into a lab's system. This process ensures the sample was appropriately sealed and shipped, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional information entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary check for drug abuse. While Screening is budget-friendly for ruling out drug use in the majority of cases, a positive screen needs additional confirmation to be permissible in legal settings. Any samples with presumptive positive results during Screening require further confirmation.

If a sample is presumptive positive at the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most complex methodology available.

Confirmation of a positive screening is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are cleaned as necessary. The entire process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug use for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests, which have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Resistance to deception: Hair drug tests are very difficult to manipulate, ensuring more reliable results.
• Reveals historical usage: It offers insights into drug use over time, beyond merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair within approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than alternate drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can affect the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although sometimes called "hair follicle tests," these tests analyze the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Lisbon, LA, hair follicle testing offers unmatched advantages over urine tests, providing superior identification of substance use.
Its enhanced reliability stems from the ability to detect a stronger spectrum of substances, offering clients assured compliance with zero-tolerance policies.

Employers favor hair tests for their detection accuracy, reducing workplace risk and ensuring a safer environment while showcasing the unreliability of conventional urine testing.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing provides extensive detection window, encompassing up to 90 days of drug use history in Lisbon, LA.
This offers employers a comprehensive profile of a candidate or employee's substance history, aiding them in making informed employment decisions.

The broad detection scope significantly contrasts with the limited time frames of other methods like urine testing, which miss substance use beyond a few days.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Lisbon, LA, hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant solution, drastically reducing adulteration risks.
The sample collection process is fundamentally secure, making manipulation nearly impossible and ensuring truthful outcomes.

This robust security aspect addresses common concerns about testing validity, providing confidence in the results delivered, crucial for maintaining integrity in substance use screenings.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing boasts convenient locations nationwide, including Lisbon, LA, ensuring accessible services.
Our facilities offer a seamless experience, making drug testing straightforward without unnecessary delays.

Regardless of location, quality testing is readily available, granting clients quick, hassle-free access to essential diagnostic services without compounding stress or inconvenience.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Lisbon, LA, is straightforward and private, easing concerns over drug testing protocols.
Ordering, undergoing tests, and receiving confidential results is streamlined, ensuring minimal stress for participants and organizations.

We prioritize client privacy and simplicity, ensuring the entire procedure is conducted with utmost discretion—a crucial aspect for sensitive substance use testing.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable testing options in Lisbon, LA, Accredited Drug Testing ensures value at competitive prices.
Our fast turnaround complements low costs, aligning with various organizational needs and budgets, providing confidence in both price and efficiency.

Businesses can benefit from excellent pricing structures while trusting quick accurate results, aiding in maintaining substance-free work environments without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and velocity of hair follicle drug testing in Lisbon, LA, elevate its effectiveness beyond alternative methods.
These tests accurately identify substance use, guaranteeing dependable results within a swift timeframe, ensuring individuals and organizations can trust the outcomes.

Employing technology adept at rapid assessments, hair testing ensures efficient processing and unerring accuracy, vital for urgent decisions regarding substance use implications.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Lisbon, LA, gain compliance assurance with workplace drug policies through hair follicle testing.
This method minimizes legal risks associated with drug use, enhancing organizational safety and employee well-being.

Consistently applying such tests demonstrates commitment to a drug-free environment, fostering peace of mind that aligns with corporate responsibility and ethical obligations.

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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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