Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Alexandria, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective means for identifying substance and alcohol intake. Hair offers an extended history of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers within the structure of the hair as it grows. When collected near the scalp, it can reveal drug and alcohol presence over a span of roughly 3 months. Hair is straightforward to gather, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A segment of hair measuring 1.5 inches and containing about 200 strands (approximately the width of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp will provide 100mg of hair, which is ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or assessments exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advised. It’s best to weigh the hair on a jeweler’s scale. If head hair isn't available, a similar volume of body hair can be used. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair pertains to facial, underarm, and other types.

Process Overview

There are four principal steps in the lab analysis of a drug test: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the preliminary handling of a sample in the lab's database. This process confirms proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigns it a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any supplementary data entry not supplied by a digital chain of custody system.

Screening offers a rapid preliminary review for substances. While Screening is an economical approach to detect drug use in most samples, any positive screening requires verification for legal admissibility. Samples with presumptive positive results in Screening necessitate additional confirmation.

Should a sample test positive during Screening, additional hair from the initial collection is utilized for Extraction. In this phase, substance traces are isolated from the hair at much lower concentrations compared to other methods like urine or oral fluid, making hair drug testing a challenging procedure.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before Confirmation, presumptive positive samples are cleaned as necessary. The comprehensive lab workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Lengthy detection period: Hair drug testing can reveal drug consumption for up to 90 days, whereas urine testing detects shorter time frames.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, lending greater accuracy to the results.
• Reveals usage patterns: It reflects ongoing drug use history over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Ineffective for detecting recent consumption: Drugs become traceable in hair only after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically pricier than alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Variables such as hair color and individual differences in growth can impact the level of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although frequently called "hair follicle tests", the examination evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the skin.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Alexandria, NE, hair follicle testing offers numerous advantages over traditional urine tests. Hair tests ensure superior accuracy, capturing a longer detection window for substance use. While urine tests are limited, hair analysis offers deeper insights into an individual's habits.

With improved reliability, hair tests deliver a more comprehensive review, making them the preferred choice for organizations enforcing strict drug-free policies.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Alexandria, NE, appreciate the extended detection period of hair follicle testing, which spans up to 90 days. This timeframe provides a more thorough assessment of an individual's substance use history.

The comprehensive view offered by hair tests is invaluable for employers, allowing them to understand patterns of behavior rather than just recent activities. This longer detection period empowers companies to make informed decisions about potential hires.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Alexandria, NE, stands out as a tamper-resistant method, significantly reducing risks of sample adulteration. This testing format ensures the integrity and reliability of the results, offering unquestionable evidence of substance use.

The robust nature of hair tests makes it nearly impossible to alter or cheat, providing dependable outcomes for employers seeking sincere and honest insights from their applicants.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides ultimate convenience with testing centers nationwide and locally in Alexandria, NE. This widespread network allows for quick and hassle-free access to services, making hair testing straightforward and efficient for all users.

With local and nationwide accessibility, organizations and individuals can easily access reliable testing solutions whenever needed, ensuring that the process is smooth and effective.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Alexandria, NE, our hair follicle testing process is designed to be simple and confidential, guaranteeing privacy and ease of use. From ordering to receiving results, every step ensures client comfort and security.

This seamless process is a hallmark of confidentiality and simplicity, addressing any privacy concerns while providing a straightforward and stress-free experience for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Alexandria, NE, offers excellent value for businesses of all sizes. Affordable options coupled with fast results make these tests an attractive choice.

The combination of affordability and speed provides companies with peace of mind, ensuring they receive timely and accurate information without exceeding budget constraints.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Alexandria, NE, hair follicle drug testing excels with its rapid and exact results, providing unmatched accuracy. The precision of hair testing allows it to detect substance use reliably and swiftly. Processing hair samples ensures that results are swiftly available, giving employers confidence in their hiring decisions without unnecessary delays.

By focusing on accuracy and speed, hair testing stands out as an invaluable tool for those seeking trustworthy insights into an individual's substance use history. The precision of these tests reinforces their role in maintaining safety and adherence to policies.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Alexandria, NE, utilizing hair follicle tests helps employers maintain compliance with workplace drug policies, promoting safety and reducing legal risks. This method assures employers that policies are strictly enforced.

The peace of mind achieved by consistent compliance and reliable testing reinforces a culture of discipline and adherence, thereby enhancing the overall safety and productivity of the workplace environment.

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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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