Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Athens, ME

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

14 Hair Drug Testing Centers in Athens

Minutes Away, Test Today

57 Fairview Ave11.59 miles

57 Fairview Ave
Skowhegan, ME 4976

125 Main St17.22 miles

125 Main St
Pittsfield, ME 4967

26 Main St Ste 220.22 miles

26 Main St Ste 2
Newport, ME 4953

149 North St25.19 miles

149 North St
Waterville, ME 4901

43 Dwelley Ave27.96 miles

43 Dwelley Ave
Dover Foxcroft, ME 4426

111 Franklin Health Cmns31.70 miles

111 Franklin Health Cmns
Farmington, ME 4938

10 Caldwell Rd42.47 miles

10 Caldwell Rd
Augusta, ME 4330

925 Union St Ste 442.73 miles

925 Union St Ste 4
Bangor, ME 4401

219 Capitol St Ste 242.73 miles

219 Capitol St Ste 2
Augusta, ME 4330

885 Union St Ste 21542.78 miles

885 Union St Ste 215
Bangor, ME 4401

900 Broadway Bldg 143.85 miles

900 Broadway Bldg 1
Bangor, ME 4401

186 Parkview Ave45.21 miles

186 Parkview Ave
Bangor, ME 4401

34 Gilman Rd45.21 miles

34 Gilman Rd
Bangor, ME 4401

303 Main St48.62 miles

303 Main St
Orono, ME 4473

Employment, Court Ordered, Probation, Family

Accredited Drug Testing offers comprehensive hair follicle drug testing services in Athens, Maine. Whether you require a hair drug or alcohol test, we excel in hair testing at our centers situated in cities nationwide. Typically, 1.5 to 2 inches of hair from the crown or body may be used. Hair tests can detect drugs, alcohol/ETG, or other bespoke options.

In recent times, the preference for hair follicle drug tests has increased as a method for drug testing. Many companies, courts, and substance abuse experts opt for hair drug tests over traditional urine tests. Employers with zero-tolerance policies, judicial systems, and probationary individuals use these tests. Their key advantage is an extended detection timeframe of up to 90 days, collected under supervised conditions, and nearly impossible to circumvent. Nonetheless, for detecting recent drug use within 5 days, urine tests remain the most precise.

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It captures a chronological record of alcohol and substance intake by preserving biomarkers in the strands of growing hair. When taken near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a three-month history of alcohol and drug use. Hair is straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches with around 200 hair strands (akin to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for evaluation and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or screenings exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to measure the sample. If scalp hair is not accessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair might be used. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the preliminary processing of a sample within a laboratory’s framework. This entails confirming that the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial swift assessment for drug abuse. Although Screening is a budget-friendly approach to exclude drug use in most samples, a verified positive screen is necessary for court admissibility. Samples that test positive during Screening need a secondary confirmation.

If a specimen shows a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is obtained from the initial sample for Extraction. Drugs are isolated from the hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug analysis the most complex methodology to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is accomplished using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

  • Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use over a span of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a more limited detection period.
  • Challenging to falsify: Cheating on a hair drug test is highly difficult, providing more precise results.
  • Offers historical insight: It can illustrate a pattern of drug use over extended periods, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

  • Inability to detect immediate use: It requires about 5-7 days for drugs to become discernible in hair.
  • Expense: Hair drug tests commonly incur higher costs than alternative drug testing methods.
  • Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination analyzes the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Athens, ME

Hair follicle testing provides significant benefits over traditional urine tests when it comes to drug detection. First and foremost, hair testing offers superior accuracy, identifying substance use over a longer period. Reliable results make hair testing a preferred choice for employers and legal entities, ensuring compliance and effectiveness in drug monitoring.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Athens, ME

Hair follicle testing stands out due to its extended detection timeframe of up to 90 days. This broader window provides a thorough view of an individual's drug use history, enabling employers to make informed decisions regarding candidates or current employees' substance use patterns.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Athens, ME

The hair follicle test is known for its resilience against sample tampering. Its resistance to adulteration ensures the reliability and authenticity of the results, making it a credible choice for drug testing scenarios where precision and trust are paramount.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Athens, ME

Our comprehensive network of testing centers across the nation, including in Athens, ME, facilitiates easy and convenient access for all testing needs. This extensive reach ensures a seamless process for both individuals and organizations, minimizing hassle and maximizing efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Athens, ME

Navigating the process of ordering, taking, and receiving results from a hair follicle test is designed to be both straightforward and private. This ensures that individuals feel secure about the confidentiality of their testing, addressing common concerns and making the process user-friendly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Athens, ME

We offer competitive pricing structures paired with rapid turnaround times, delivering exceptional value and peace of mind to companies of every size. This combination of affordability and efficiency ensures that organizations can maintain budgets while benefiting from quality testing services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Athens, ME

The precision and swiftness of the hair follicle drug tests ensure comprehensive and prompt results. With high detection accuracy, these tests quickly identify drug use, solidifying their role in modern screening processes. Such dependability is crucial for employers and authorities aiming to maintain a drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Athens, ME

Employing hair follicle testing in workplace policies aids in compliance with drug-free regulations. This leads to reduced legal risks and bolsters safety within the workplace, fostering peace of mind for both employers and employees alike.

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.

Customer Reviews

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