Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Vick, LA

What it is, How it works

Detecting drug and alcohol use has become more effective with hair testing. The hair archives a long-term record of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers within its growing fibers. Collecting hair near the scalp offers a detection scope of around 90 days for drugs and alcohol. Hair is easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and convenient to send.

Securing a 1.5-inch hair strand sample, roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil, closest to the scalp yields a 100mg hair specimen, ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG additions or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for measuring is recommended. If scalp hair isn’t accessible, an equal body hair amount can be utilized. References to head hair imply scalp hair only, while body hair includes other types such as facial or axillary hair.

Process Overview

The primary procedures in analyzing a drug test result cover Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning represents the first handling of a sample in a laboratory’s system, encompassing checking that the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any additional data not delivered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary evaluation to exclude drug misuse. Though Screening economically clears the majority of samples for drug use, a positive result must be confirmed to be legally acceptable. Any samples shown as positive during Screening need further confirmation.

Should a sample appear positive in Screening, additional hair from the initial sample is prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a lower concentration than in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), marking hair drug screening as the most challenging method to conduct.

Confirmation of a positive Screening result is accomplished via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples preliminarily positive are washed before Confirmation as needed. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection range: Hair drug tests can identify drug use over 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection range.
• Hard to manipulate: It's quite challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, enhancing result precision.
• Shows usage history: It gives a drug usage history over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Unable to identify recent usage: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to manifest in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests commonly cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Outcome variability: Variations in hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: While commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the examination is of the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Vick, LA, surpasses traditional urine testing by providing better detection accuracy. The longstanding detection period allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of an individual's drug use history, which urine tests cannot match.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests extend the detection window for drug use to up to 90 days, unlike urine tests. This allows companies in Vick, LA, to gain a broader understanding of an individual’s substance history for informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Due to the observed collection process, hair follicle testing significantly reduces the chances of tampering, providing reliable results. This tamper-resistant method ensures integrity in Vick, LA.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key, and with numerous testing centers nationwide, accessing hair follicle testing has never been easier for those in Vick, LA. Our local facilities ensure a seamless and straightforward process.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Vick, LA, the procedure for hair follicle testing is simple and discreet. It provides ease in ordering, partaking, and receiving results while maintaining the utmost privacy and confidentiality.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, our hair follicle testing in Vick, LA, provides exceptional value. Companies of all sizes can benefit from this affordable yet reliable testing method.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast and reliable results are pivotal in the drug testing process, and in Vick, LA, hair follicle testing offers unmatched precision. The detection capabilities of hair tests are extraordinarily sensitive, offering high accuracy in identifying substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Vick, LA, hair follicle tests assure compliance with drug-free policies. By mitigating legal risks and enhancing safety, they offer peace of mind that adheres to workplace standards.

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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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