Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Summerville, LA

What it is, How it works

Recognized as a potent method, hair testing aids in identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a long-term record of these substances by capturing biomarkers within the strands as they grow. A sample near the scalp can reveal drug and alcohol use over about a 3-month span. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A sample comprising 1.5 inches of roughly 200 hair strands (akin to a #2 pencil thickness) near the scalp yields 100mg, suitable for analysis and verification. For comprehensive screenings like EtG or anything exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advised. It's suggested to measure the sample with a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, a corresponding amount of body hair is suitable. By head hair, we only mean scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types like facial or axillary.

Process Overview

The drug testing procedure in labs involves four stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails initial sample integration into a lab system. This process confirms proper sample sealing and shipping, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any remaining details not captured by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening offers a preliminary test for drug indicators. Though cost-efficient for most samples to exclude drug presence, positive screenings need confirmation for legal admissibility. Presumed positive samples in Screening require another confirmation step.

When a sample shows a presumptive positive in Screening, additional hair from the original sample is used for Extraction. Here, drug extraction from hair occurs at a lower concentration than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluids), underscoring the complexity of hair drug testing.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any such samples are adequately cleansed before confirmation. The end-to-end lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is validated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair framework and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Hair drug testing benefits:

• Extended detection period: Compared to urine tests, hair drug tests cover drug usage for up to 90 days.
• Resistant to manipulation: Hair drug tests are tough to cheat, ensuring more reliable results.
• Historical usage patterns: They detail drug use trends over time, not just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to determine recent use: Detectability requires about 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Differences in hair color and growth may influence drug metabolite levels.

Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the procedure evaluates the hair strand itself, instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When it comes to drug testing in Summerville, LA, hair follicle tests excel over urine tests due to their comprehensive detection capabilities. Hair testing not only detects drug use more effectively but also offers a broader detection window, providing superior reliability for employers. This enhanced accuracy makes hair testing a trusted choice over more conventional urine testing approaches.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Summerville, LA, offers an extended detection window, reaching back up to 90 days for drug use. This significant advantage provides employers with a detailed understanding of an individual's substance history, making it a valuable tool for assessing potential and current employees. The test's capability to reveal long-term patterns ensures informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests in Summerville, LA, greatly reduces the risk of sample adulteration. By utilizing an observed collection process, these tests ensure the integrity and reliability of results, offering unquestionable evidence of substance use. This robust methodology supports trust in the results provided by the hair testing approach.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient location options for testing in Summerville, LA, include a variety of centers nationwide, ensuring swift and hassle-free access to services. Individuals seeking testing can easily find a suitable facility, emphasizing Accredited Drug Testing's commitment to offering accessible services anywhere, at any time. This widespread availability simplifies the testing process tremendously.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Summerville, LA, the hair follicle drug testing process is straightforward and private. The simple steps for ordering and conducting tests ensure confidentiality and user-friendliness, allowing individuals to feel comfortable throughout the process. By safeguarding privacy, Accredited Drug Testing promotes confidence and ease of use among clients.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times characterize Accredited Drug Testing's offerings in Summerville, LA. These affordable solutions provide excellent value for companies of any size, ensuring they receive reliable and timely results without breaking the bank. The balance of cost-effectiveness and efficiency remains a core benefit of our services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Summerville, LA, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for delivering fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests expertly detect substance use, providing a high level of precision that surpasses traditional testing methods such as urine tests. Their efficiency helps employers and individuals alike to trust the outcomes, ensuring substance use is identified with remarkable accuracy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Summerville, LA, gain compliance and peace of mind with hair follicle testing. This method guarantees adherence to drug-free workplace policies, mitigating legal risks and enhancing overall safety. By implementing reliable testing, businesses can uphold a healthy work environment while adhering to industry regulations and safeguarding their operations.

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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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