Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lustre, MT

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective means for uncovering drug and alcohol use. Hair captures a comprehensive history of these substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands of hair as they grow. Collected near the scalp, hair offers a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for substances like alcohol. It's straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches with around 200 strands of hair (comparable to a #2 pencil’s thickness) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, ideal for screening and confirmation purposes. For additional tests like EtG add-ons or over 10-panel tests, 150mg is advised. We suggest weighing the hair on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unobtainable, a similar amount of body hair can be used. Referring to head hair means scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (like facial and axillary).

Procedure Summary

Four main phases in the laboratory process for generating a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the primary step for incorporating a sample into a lab’s workflow. It confirms the sample was securely sealed and transported, assigns a distinct LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any other data needed beyond the electronic chain of custody system.

Screening constitutes an initial quick assessment for drug abuse. While Screening offers an economical approach to rule out drug use in most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be legally valid. Samples with a presumptive positive in Screening need secondary confirmation.

For presumptive positives in the Screening phase, additional hair from the initial sample is prepared for Extraction. Here, drug extraction from hair occurs at notably lower concentrations than other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair screening the most complex method.

Confirming any positive Screening outcomes utilizes GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before confirmation, all presumptive positive samples undergo washing when necessary. The full lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes evaluation under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug screening:

• Extended detection window: Hair tests identify drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Tampering with a hair drug test is exceptionally difficult, leading to more reliable results.
• Reveals past drug use: It delivers a timeline of drug use over time, not just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Incapable of spotting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair only after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often more costly than alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Attributes like hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Lustre, MT, is superior to the traditional urine tests due to its enhanced detection accuracy. The comprehensive coverage of substances and the exam's reliability play a crucial role.

Employers benefit from hair testing as it offers a notably longer detection period for substances, unlike urine tests. This allows for advanced measures in maintaining a drug-free environment within workplaces.

Extended Detection Window

In Lustre, MT, hair follicle testing ensures the detection of drug usage for up to 90 days. This extended window provides a thorough view of an individual's history.

Employers find this comprehensive detection span invaluable for acquiring detailed insights into potential or current employees’ substance use. It helps create a workplace with vigilant substance monitoring, promoting safety and reliability.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Lustre, MT, stand out due to their exceptional tamper-resistance. This method significantly reduces the risk of sample adulteration.

The reliability of this test provides results that are unquestionable and dependable, ensuring that all evaluations of substance use are authentic and precise. This leads to trusted selection processes in organizational and legal scenarios.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides easy access to testing with convenient nationwide centers, ensuring seamless service access in Lustre, MT.

The extensive network simplifies the testing process by offering prompt and hassle-free testing solutions locally and nationwide, accommodating various testing needs with efficiency and ease.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Lustre, MT, the process of hair follicle testing is simple and confidential. From order placement to receiving results, individuals can expect a straightforward journey.

Privacy is paramount, and the system is designed to safeguard participant details while keeping the procedure expedient and straightforward. This ensures comfort and trust throughout the whole testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing in Lustre, MT, our hair testing services provide excellent value, ensuring cost-effective solutions.

We guarantee quick turnaround times, alleviating worries about prolonged waits, and presenting benefits for organizations of all scales. Our pricing and service efficiency make this testing option economically accessible to many.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Lustre, MT, hair follicle drug tests offer remarkable precision and speed in delivering results. These tests excel in high accuracy, effectively identifying substance usage and ensuring that individuals receive accurate assessments quickly.

Employers and organizations benefit from the reliability of these tests, which deliver consistent and dependable results, enhancing decision-making processes. The assurance of fast, accurate outcomes makes hair testing a favored option.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Lustre, MT, utilizing hair follicle testing ensures compliance with workplace drug-free initiatives. Employers feel at ease knowing that they are abiding by legal standards and improving workplace safety.

The use of this reliable screening method minimizes potential legal issues. In turn, it leads to peace of mind for employers, who can uphold safety standards confidently.

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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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