Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mercer, ME

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

18 Hair Drug Testing Centers in Mercer

Minutes Away, Test Today

111 Franklin Health Cmns11.79 miles

111 Franklin Health Cmns
Farmington, ME 4938

57 Fairview Ave12.28 miles

57 Fairview Ave
Skowhegan, ME 4976

149 North St16.69 miles

149 North St
Waterville, ME 4901

219 Capitol St Ste 226.30 miles

219 Capitol St Ste 2
Augusta, ME 4330

10 Caldwell Rd26.68 miles

10 Caldwell Rd
Augusta, ME 4330

125 Main St28.09 miles

125 Main St
Pittsfield, ME 4967

430 Franklin St31.73 miles

430 Franklin St
Rumford, ME 4276

26 Main St Ste 234.04 miles

26 Main St Ste 2
Newport, ME 4953

15 Enterprise Dr Ste 20034.81 miles

15 Enterprise Dr Ste 200
Augusta, ME 4330

15 Gracelawn Rd 2nd Floor40.76 miles

15 Gracelawn Rd 2nd Floor
Auburn, ME 4210

16 Wood Rd41.58 miles

16 Wood Rd
Somerville, ME 4348

59 East Ave42.78 miles

59 East Ave
Lewiston, ME 4240

176 Main St Ste 243.75 miles

176 Main St Ste 2
Norway, ME 4268

250 Center St St. # 40343.83 miles

250 Center St St. # 403
Auburn, ME 4210

30 Belgrade Ave Ste A44.07 miles

30 Belgrade Ave Ste A
Auburn, ME 4210

690 Minot Ave Ste 244.11 miles

690 Minot Ave Ste 2
Auburn, ME 4210

32 Railroad St45.96 miles

32 Railroad St
Bethel, ME 4217

43 Dwelley Ave49.01 miles

43 Dwelley Ave
Dover Foxcroft, ME 4426

Employment, Court Ordered, Probation, Family

Accredited Drug Testing offers comprehensive hair follicle drug testing solutions in Mercer, Maine. Whether you require testing for drugs or alcohol, Accredited Drug Testing is proficient in hair analysis, with easily accessible testing centers nationwide. Typically, 1.5 to 2 inches of hair from the crown or body are sufficient for testing. Hair analyses can detect drugs, alcohol/ETG, or offer customized testing solutions.

Recently, hair follicle drug testing has increasingly become a preferred method in drug screening. Many employers, judicial systems, and Substance Abuse experts are opting for hair tests over standard urine tests. Ideal for entities with zero-tolerance drug policies, hair follicle testing provides an extended detection window of up to 90 days, with a secure, observed collection process. However, for identifying recent drug usage within five days, urine tests remain more precise.

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly perceived as an effective instrument for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged record of alcohol and drug intake as it secures biomarkers within the fibers of the growing strand. When sourced near the scalp, hair offers as much as a 3-month detection window for alcohol and drug usage. It's straightforward to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

The ideal sample for assessment and validation is a 1.5-inch segment of around 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, yielding 100mg of hair. For EtG tests, add-ons, or panels exceeding 10, a specimen weight of 150mg is advised. It’s recommended to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, we refer exclusively to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other varieties (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result generally follows four steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial phase where the sample is introduced into a lab’s system, ensuring it was properly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and executing any extra data entry not managed by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary rapid assessment for detecting drugs. Though cost-efficient, a positive screen needs verification to be valid in judicial contexts. Samples that are potentially positive during Screening necessitate additional confirmation.

When a sample tests positive in Screening, more hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. Drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine, oral fluid), which makes hair drug testing particularly challenging.

Confirmation of any positive result from screening is completed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suspected to be positive are cleansed before final confirmation when needed. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is governed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

  • Extended detection span: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection periods.
  • Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, leading to more reliable results.
  • Tracks historical usage: It offers a history of drug use across a timeframe, not just recent activities.

Limitations:

  • Cannot detect recent consumption: Drugs take around 5-7 days to be traceable in hair.
  • Expense: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher costs compared to alternative methods.
  • Result variability: Hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although commonly termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis actually focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Mercer, ME demonstrates superior detection accuracy and reliability compared to traditional urine tests. One key advantage is its longer detection window, allowing for substance use monitoring over a more extended period. Unlike urine tests, which detect recent use, hair follicle tests provide a more comprehensive view of an individual’s substance use history, making it a preferred choice for many organizations.

Extended Detection Window

In Mercer, ME, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window for drug use. It can identify substance use for up to 90 days, providing employers with an encompassing view of an individual’s drug history. This timeframe surpasses that of urine tests, which only detect recent substance use, making hair follicle tests invaluable for maintaining a long-term understanding of employee behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Mercer, ME, benefits from the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing. This method significantly minimizes the chances of sample adulteration, ensuring results are both reliable and indisputable. The observed collection process involved in hair testing adds an extra layer of security, providing businesses with trusted data that is harder to manipulate compared to urine tests.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers nationwide locations and local access in Mercer, ME, ensuring convenience and accessibility to hair follicle testing services. This widespread network of testing centers makes it easy to undertake testing without long waits or the hassle of traveling extensively. Our reach guarantees that wherever you are, quality testing services are readily available.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Mercer, ME, is simple and confidential, designed to respect customer privacy. From order to receiving results, each step is streamlined to provide ease of use. With an emphasis on confidentiality, individuals can rest assured their data remain secure, eliminating concerns over privacy while gaining insights into their testing results promptly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

We offer affordable pricing for hair follicle tests in Mercer, ME, ensuring excellent value for businesses of all sizes. Our commitment is to provide competitive pricing without sacrificing quality or turnaround time. Companies can rely on quick results and budget-friendly options, enabling effective substance screening procedures without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle test provides fast and reliable results in Mercer, ME, ensuring that any substance use is accurately detected. This method excels in its speed, allowing employers to quickly receive essential information about an employee's drug history. Comparing it to urine tests, hair testing stands out for its ability to promptly deliver insightful data without compromising on accuracy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle testing in Mercer, ME, helps organizations maintain compliance with drug-free policies, ultimately contributing to workplace safety. This testing method reduces legal risks associated with substance use and provides peace of mind to employers. Ensuring employees adhere to these policies allows businesses to operate smoothly and maintain a safe, productivity-focused environment.

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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