Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Schriever, LA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective method for identifying substance use involving drugs and alcohol. The hair captures long-term usage details by embedding markers within the structure as it grows. When cut near the scalp, the hair reveals a detection span close to 90 days for alcohol and other drugs. It’s straightforward to acquire, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches, comprising roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, which is optimal for both initial testing and definitive analysis. For detecting EtG, additional substances, or for extensive panel tests beyond 10, 150mg is suggested. It is advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent volume of body hair is acceptable. "Head hair" strictly indicates scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Outline

The main steps in analyzing a drug test sample in the lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial handling of a specimen within a lab’s process. This step confirms the sample's proper sealing and delivery, assigns a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completes any unsubmitted data entry from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary, rapid assessment for drug abuse. While Screening offers a cost-effective means to eliminate suspected drug use from most samples, any positive results require confirmation for legal validity. Presumptive positive samples at the Screening stage need additional testing.

At the Screening stage, if a sample shows a presumptive positive result, more hair is taken from the initial collection for Extraction. In this step, substances are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations compared to alternative techniques (such as urine or saliva tests), highlighting the complexity of hair drug testing methodology.

Positive results from screenings are confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before confirmation, all samples with presumptive positives are cleansed as necessary. The complete laboratory procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Benefits of using hair drug tests:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair tests identify drug use for as long as 90 days, far surpassing the shorter timeframe of urine tests.
• Resistant to manipulation: Attempts to falsify a hair drug test are very challenging, ensuring more reliable outcomes.
• Chronicles past habits: It can depict a pattern of substance usage over an extended timeframe, not merely recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drug presence becomes detectable in hair only after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally entail higher costs compared to other testing techniques.
• Outcome variability: Aspects like hair color and personal hair growth rates can impact drug metabolite presence in hair.

Note: Termed often as "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis targets the hair shaft rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Schriever, LA comes down to superior accuracy. Hair tests provide a broader detection window than urine tests and are difficult to manipulate, ensuring a true representation of an individual’s substance use history. Employers and legal entities prefer hair testing for both reliability and precision.

Extended Detection Window

The Extended Detection Window in Schriever, LA offers employers profound insight into an employee's or applicant's drug use history. This method detects drugs for up to 90 days, providing a thorough understanding of one's substance use behaviors, which is invaluable for organizations keen on maintaining drug-free environments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Schriever, LA underscores the robust nature of hair follicle tests. Unlike other sampling methods, hair tests are remarkably resistant to manipulation. This resistance ensures the authenticity of the results, providing assurance against potential sample adulteration.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations, including those in Schriever, LA, facilitate easy access to our services. Our vast network ensures that individuals and companies can effortlessly reach our facilities, eliminating any inconvenience in obtaining crucial testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The Simple, Confidential Process in Schriever, LA assures clients that their privacy is respected throughout the testing procedure. With straightforward steps from ordering to receiving results, our process is designed to ease privacy concerns while ensuring effortless access to information.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Schriever, LA distinguish our services. We offer competitive rates combined with quick processing times, making them an excellent choice for companies on a budget while ensuring they get the best value.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Schriever, LA are a hallmark of our hair follicle tests. These tests are renowned for their precision in capturing substance usage patterns over a significant timeframe. The rapid processing times accompany their high accuracy, making them an excellent choice for those needing dependable results promptly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

When it comes to Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Schriever, LA, hair follicle testing is unmatched. It guarantees adherence to workplace policies geared towards a drug-free environment, which reduces legal liabilities and enhances overall safety, giving employers the confidence they need.

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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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