Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bloomfield, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair chronicles a long-term record of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers within the hair strand’s fibers. When obtained near the scalp, hair offers up to a roughly 3-month period for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches, comprising about 200 strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp, yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation procedures. For EtG, add-ons, and/or panels beyond 10, it is advisable to collect 150mg. Using a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing is suggested. In instances where scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be obtained. When referencing head hair, we strictly mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

In the laboratory, processing a drug test result comprises four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the preliminary processing of a specimen into a lab’s system, which includes ensuring proper sealing and shipping of the sample, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any ancillary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening provides a cost-effective means to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples presumed positive in Screening demand a secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are removed from hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring why hair drug screening is the most demanding methodology to execute.

Confirmation of any positive Screening result is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive undergo washing as deemed necessary prior to confirmation. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation alongside ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests detect drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection window.
• Resistance to tampering: Cheating a hair drug test is exceedingly difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Chronicles drug use: It can trace a pattern of drug use over time, not solely recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs take approximately 5-7 days to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests systematically cost more than alternative drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and personal differences in hair growth impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test targets the hair strand, excluding the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers superior detection capabilities in Bloomfield, NM when compared to traditional urine testing. The benefits are clear:

• Extended detection period
• More reliable results
• Difficult to falsify outcomes

Unlike urine tests, hair follicle analysis provides a comprehensive overview of substance use history, ensuring higher accuracy and reducing the likelihood of false negatives. This offers a more complete insight into an individual’s habits.

Extended Detection Window

In Bloomfield, NM, the extended detection window of hair follicle testing is a key advantage. It detects substances over a much longer period of up to 90 days. This feature offers employers a thorough insight into an applicant or employee's past substance use.

• 90-day detection span
• Detailed substance history
• Comprehensive background check

This longer detection period enables employers to make more informed hiring decisions, providing a more complete picture than shorter span tests like urine analysis.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Bloomfield, NM offers a tamper-resistant method that significantly reduces risks of sample adulteration. This testing provides:

• Reliable results
• Unquestionable testing processes
• Secure collection methods

The integrity of hair tests prevents manipulation, offering businesses and legal entities the confidence of authentic results. As such, the risks of tampering encountered in other testing methods are minimized.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide testing centers, including facilities in Bloomfield, NM, accessing hair follicle testing is quick and straightforward. Our extensive network ensures:

• Easy access to testing services
• Nationwide and local availability
• Hassle-free testing process

The expansive reach of our testing locations means clients benefit from fast and efficient services, no matter where they are, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum convenience.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Bloomfield, NM, the process for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential. This ensures they protect privacy while maintaining ease of use:

• Confidential testing process
• Simple ordering and taking procedures
• Secure results delivery

The straightforward and private nature of the hair testing process reassures individuals and businesses of both ease and discretion, safeguarding personal information and business interests.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Bloomfield, NM boasts competitive pricing and fast turnaround for hair follicle drug tests. This offers excellent value:

• Cost-effective pricing
• Quick response times
• Quality assurance

Companies, regardless of size, benefit from affordability coupled with the fast delivery of results, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to implement reliable and efficient drug screening solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bloomfield, NM, hair follicle drug testing stands out for delivering quick, precise, and trustworthy results. This method ensures high accuracy in the detection of substances, making it reliable for crucial determinations.

• High precision in results
• Faster detection capabilities
• Dependable accuracy

When time is of the essence, the speed at which hair tests deliver accurate results is unmatched. Businesses and individuals can rely on the efficiency of this testing method, ensuring timely and informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For Bloomfield, NM employers, hair follicle testing ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal liabilities while enhancing safety. This method provides:

• Greater compliance assurance
• Peace of mind
• Improved safety environment

Employers can be confident in maintaining a secure workspace, avoiding potential legal challenges associated with improper drug testing methods, and fostering a culture of compliance and safety.

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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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