Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Perkins, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair analyses have emerged as an effective mechanism for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands capture a historical timeline of alcohol and drug use by preserving biomarkers within the growing hair. When hair is taken near the scalp, it can reveal alcohol and drug use for up to roughly 90 days. The collection of hair is straightforward, moderately hard to manipulate, and convenient for transportation.

A 1.5-inch portion consisting of around 200 hair strands (similar to the thickness of a #2 pencil) from the scalp provides approximately 100mg of hair, which is optimal for testing and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or analyses beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. The sample should ideally be weighed using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. Head hair denotes scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes other forms such as facial, axillary, etc.

Process Overview

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

Accessioning includes the initial management of a sample in a lab’s system, ensuring it was packaged and sent properly, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any missing data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody infrastructure.

Screening runs a preliminary quick check for drugs. Although Screening is an economical means to exclude drug presence in most samples, a positive finding during Screening requires confirmation before it is court-admissible. Samples that are presumably positive need a follow-up confirmation.

If a sample registers presumptively positive during Screening, more hair is sourced from the gathered specimen for Extraction. In this phase, drug components are isolated from hair in considerably lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing particularly challenging to conduct.

Confirmation of any Screening positive result occurs through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positives are cleansed prior to confirmation as necessary. The laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is reviewed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and with accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests encompass a detection timeline of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that offer a shorter detection period.
• Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is notably challenging, thereby enhancing result accuracy.
• Chronological data: It provides a pattern of drug usage over time, not merely the most recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect immediate use: Drugs become identifiable in hair about 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than other drug testing approaches.
• Outcome variation: Factors like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is commonly used, but the test examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Perkins, LA

In Perkins, LA, the benefits of hair follicle testing surpass those of traditional urine tests significantly. Hair tests offer superior detection accuracy due to their ability to reveal a more extended history of substance use. The reliability and thoroughness these tests provide make them a preferred choice over traditional urine tests.

Furthermore, hair testing detects substances that urine tests might miss, ensuring a more comprehensive and reliable assessment of drug use.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Perkins, LA

Hair follicle tests afford a broad detection window, up to 90 days, for identifying drug use. This long period gives employers a complete view of a person’s substance use history, allowing for more informed decisions regarding potential hires or current employees.

Employers can confidently assess any possible substance use over a longer timeframe, providing valuable insights into an individual’s past behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Perkins, LA

Hair follicle testing is renowned for its tamper-resistant nature, greatly diminishing chances of sample manipulation. This reliability ensures testing results are unquestionable and credible, making them ideal for employers and legal entities requiring conclusive evidence.

The robust process adds a layer of security, maintaining the integrity of the testing and making it extremely difficult for individuals to alter results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Perkins, LA

Our extensive network of testing centers across Perkins, LA, and nationwide ensures easy access to hair follicle testing facilities. This convenience allows individuals and businesses to access quick, hassle-free testing services anytime, anywhere.

We aim to provide seamless service, making it straightforward for everyone to engage in reliable and efficient testing procedures close to their location.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Perkins, LA

The hair follicle testing procedure in Perkins, LA, is not only simple but also maintains strict confidentiality, ensuring user privacy. With straightforward ordering and results acquisition, this process supports ease of use and safeguards personal information.

We understand privacy concerns, hence our process is designed to deliver comfort and confidentiality, encouraging users to feel secure about their testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Perkins, LA

Offering competitive pricing, our hair follicle testing in Perkins, LA, delivers outstanding value for businesses of all sizes. Alongside affordability, we promise rapid turnaround times, ensuring quick delivery of results.

This combination of budget-friendly options and expeditious processing times provides companies with peace of mind, guaranteeing excellent value for their investment.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Perkins, LA

When it comes to the precision and swiftness of results, hair follicle drug testing stands out. The tests offer a high level of accuracy, ensuring substances are reliably detected. This ensures that individuals in Perkins, LA, receive quick and precise results without compromising accuracy.

Speed is a significant advantage, as the testing process facilitates the prompt acquisition of results, allowing users to make informed decisions based on truthful data.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Perkins, LA

For employers in Perkins, LA, utilizing hair follicle testing ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies, minimizing risks and boosting safety. This method provides assurance and compliance, reducing potential legal issues associated with drug use in the workplace.

Through hair testing, employers can maintain a safe work environment, enhancing overall security and legal compliance.

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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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