Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Alton, ME

Employment, DOT, Court Ordered, Personal
Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG

17 Hair Drug Testing Centers in Alton

Minutes Away, Test Today

303 Main St11.42 miles

303 Main St
Orono, ME 4473

34 Gilman Rd13.86 miles

34 Gilman Rd
Bangor, ME 4401

900 Broadway Bldg 114.13 miles

900 Broadway Bldg 1
Bangor, ME 4401

186 Parkview Ave15.24 miles

186 Parkview Ave
Bangor, ME 4401

925 Union St Ste 415.29 miles

925 Union St Ste 4
Bangor, ME 4401

885 Union St Ste 21515.31 miles

885 Union St Ste 215
Bangor, ME 4401

7 Transalpine Rd24.23 miles

7 Transalpine Rd
Lincoln, ME 4457

175 W Broadway25.07 miles

175 W Broadway
Lincoln, ME 4457

43 Dwelley Ave27.21 miles

43 Dwelley Ave
Dover Foxcroft, ME 4426

37 Commerce Park Ellsworth Business Park29.77 miles

37 Commerce Park Ellsworth Business Park
Ellsworth, ME 4605

26 Main St Ste 230.13 miles

26 Main St Ste 2
Newport, ME 4953

125 Main St36.37 miles

125 Main St
Pittsfield, ME 4967

34 Downeast Hwy38.63 miles

34 Downeast Hwy
Ellsworth, ME 4605

394 Bar Harbor Rd38.72 miles

394 Bar Harbor Rd
Trenton, ME 4605

30 Western Ave42.03 miles

30 Western Ave
East Millinocket, ME 4430

200 Somerset St42.94 miles

200 Somerset St
Millinocket, ME 4462

899 Central St Ste 443.30 miles

899 Central St Ste 4
Millinocket, ME 4462

Employment, Court Ordered, Probation, Family

Accredited Drug Testing provides comprehensive hair follicle drug testing services in Alton, Maine. If you're seeking a hair drug or alcohol analysis, Accredited Drug Testing excels in hair assessments, with facilities in cities across the nation equipped to conduct hair evaluations. Typically, 1.5 to 2 inches of hair from the crown or body hair can be used. Hair analysis can detect drugs, alcohol/ETG, or can be tailored for other tests.

Recently, drug testing has increasingly incorporated hair follicle drug assessments. Many employers, judicial systems, and substance abuse authorities now prefer hair drug tests over traditional urine tests. Hair follicle drug evaluations are favored by employers enforcing zero-tolerance drug policies, legal authorities, and probation services. Their primary advantage is a prolonged detection window, reaching up to 90 days, conducted under direct observation, minimizing the chance of evasion. However, for identifying recent drug use within a five-day span, urine tests remain superior.

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair can archive a comprehensive history of alcohol and drug usage, encasing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it develops. When gathered from near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period up to roughly 3 months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, somewhat resistant to tampering, and convenient to transport.

Collecting a 1.5-inch portion of around 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp will result in a sample of 100mg, which is optimal for testing and verification. For EtG, additional analyses, and/or screenings exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is preferred. It is advisable to measure the specimen with a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, an equivalent quantity of body hair is acceptable. Any mention of head hair specifically denotes scalp hair while body hair encompasses all other hair types (like facial or axillary hair).

Process Overview

There are four primary phases in the lab processing of drug testing results: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the initial step of integrating a sample into a lab’s system, ensuring the sample was securely sealed and transported, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data inputs not available through an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary rapid assessment for drug presence. It is an economical means to eliminate drug use in most samples; however, any positive result from screening must be validated to hold up in court. Samples deemed presumptively positive in the screening necessitate additional confirmation.

A sample testing positive in the Initial Screening phase leads to more hair extraction from the original sample, which is then prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs from hair are isolated at a significantly lower concentration than with other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which accounts for the challenge of hair drug screening.

GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methodologies are employed for the confirmation of any positive screening outcomes. All samples testing presumptive positive undergo washing prior to confirmation as required. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

  • Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can recognize drug use for a duration of up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests which have a narrower detection window.
  • Challenging to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is exceedingly difficult, enhancing the accuracy of the results.
  • Offers historical insight: It can reveal a drug use pattern over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

  • Unable to detect recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after use.
  • Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier compared to other drug testing techniques.
  • Results can vary: Factors like hair color and personal variations in hair growth may influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the evaluation focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Alton, ME, hair follicle testing outperforms urine evaluations, offering superior detection and reliability. Compared to urine tests, hair analysis provides a wider detection window and higher accuracy, making it the preferred choice for thorough substance monitoring.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Alton, ME benefit from hair follicle testing due to its extended detection capability, tracing up to 90 days of substance use. This allows for a more comprehensive view of an employee's or applicant's substance history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests conducted in Alton, ME significantly minimize sample tampering risks. By offering reliable, indisputable outcomes, these tests ensure the integrity of the results is maintained.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient locations nationwide, including Alton, ME, accessing drug testing services is quick and straightforward. Our centers ensure a hassle-free testing experience for all participants.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Alton, ME is streamlined and confidential. Ordering, taking, and receiving results is simple, safeguarding users' privacy and ensuring ease of application.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Alton, ME, competitive pricing structures and swift result turnaround make hair follicle testing an excellent value proposition. This ensures businesses receive reassurance and efficiency, irrespective of size.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Alton, ME, hair follicle drug testing stands out for delivering quick, precise, and credible outcomes. Hair tests consistently demonstrate high accuracy levels in identifying substance use across various contexts, ensuring that results are both dependable and timely.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Alton, ME achieve greater compliance and peace of mind using hair follicle testing. It assists in boosting workplace safety by aligning with drug-free policies, reducing potential legal risks.

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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Frequently Asked Questions

A hair follicle drug test analyzes a small sample of hair to detect a history of drug use over time. Because drug metabolites are incorporated into hair as it grows, this method can show patterns of use instead of just recent exposure. It is frequently used for legal and court requirements, long-term monitoring, and high-trust workforce screening.
Standard hair drug testing typically reflects drug use over approximately a 90-day period, based on the length of hair collected at the time of testing. Longer hair can sometimes reflect a longer time frame, and extremely short hair can reduce that window.
Hair drug testing commonly screens for marijuana/THC, cocaine, opiates/opioids, amphetamines/methamphetamines, and PCP. In many cases, additional expanded panels may be requested to include other substances.
Yes. If the donor's head hair is too short or unavailable, body hair may be collected as an alternative. The collector will document the source of the sample. This allows testing even for individuals with recently cut or shaved head hair.
Yes. Hair drug testing is commonly used in court, probation, custody, and compliance matters because the collection process follows a documented chain of custody and the analysis is performed by a certified laboratory. Results are provided in a form that can be reviewed by legal and administrative authorities.
Yes. Individuals, parents, attorneys, employers, and probation programs can all request hair drug testing. A doctor's order is not required. Results are confidential and released only to the authorized requesting party.
Hair testing provides a longer look-back period than urine testing, making it useful when you need to demonstrate ongoing abstinence or identify repeated/recent substance use patterns over time rather than just recent exposure. It is frequently selected for legal, compliance, and custody-related documentation.
A small section of hair is cut by a trained collector in a discreet, controlled manner. The sample is sealed, documented, and sent to the laboratory under established chain-of-custody procedures so that the results can be defended if they are ever challenged.

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