Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Coolidge, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is widely recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a chronological record of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers in its growing strands. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period for alcohol and drugs of up to roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, fairly tamper-resistant, and convenient to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches with approximately 200 hair strands (the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal amount for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional substances, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advocated. We advise determining the specimen’s weight using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, a comparable quantity of body hair can be collected. When we mention head hair, scalp hair specifically is implied. Body hair encompasses all other types, such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result includes four principal stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning marks the initial incorporation of a sample into a laboratory’s system, ensuring the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing essential data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial rapid inspection for drugs of misuse. Although Screening offers an economical means to discount drug usage for most samples, a positive screen must undergo confirmation to stand as evidence in court. Samples showing presumptive positive indications during Screening must undergo a follow-up confirmatory analysis.

For samples with presumptive positives at the Screening phase, additional hair is drawn from the original specimen for Extraction, where drugs are isolated from hair at concentrations distinctively lower than those in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug analysis the most complex technique to execute.

Verifying any positive screening outcome employs GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Necessary pre-confirmation washing is performed on all presumptive positive samples. The comprehensive laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria as well as accreditation in accordance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug analysis can identify drug usage for a span of up to 90 days, in contrast with urine analysis, which offers a shorter timeframe.
• Resistance to tampering: The likelihood of deceiving a hair drug analysis is minimal, ensuring greater accuracy in results.
• Offers usage patterns: It depicts a timeline of drug consumption over duration, covering more than just recent intake.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent intake: Drugs require approximately 5-7 days for detectability in hair.
• Expense: In general, hair drug analyses are costlier relative to other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Outshines Urine Tests in Coolidge, NM? While traditional urine tests are common, hair follicle examination provides superior accuracy and reliability. Benefits include a longer detection period and low tampering risk. It's an efficient choice for employers and professionals seeking comprehensive substance use history.

• Longer detection window
• Reduced tampering
• Greater precision

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Coolidge, NM, offers an extended detection window, providing employers with a detailed history of drug use up to 90 days. This method allows businesses to maintain a safe and drug-free workplace by thoroughly understanding an employee's substance history, assisting in making informed hiring and workforce management decisions.

• Detection period up to 90 days
• Comprehensive substance use history
• Improved decision-making

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Coolidge, NM, significantly reduces the possibility of sample tampering. Tamper-resistant methods make it nearly impossible to alter or substitute samples, providing reliable and unquestionable results that maintain the integrity of the testing process. This guarantees that the results reflect true substance use history.

• Less sample adulteration
• Reliable outcomes
• Secure testing process

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient access to testing centers nationwide, including in Coolidge, NM. Our extensive network ensures quick and hassle-free access to testing services. Whether you're local or from another city, our nationwide locations mean that professional and reliable testing is always within reach.

• Nationwide network
• Easy access
• Reliable services

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Coolidge, NM, is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, each step ensures privacy and ease. Clients can trust in a seamless operation that removes concerns about privacy infringement while delivering straightforward and clear outcomes.

• Confidential procedures
• Privacy assurance
• Simple process

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable pricing and quick turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Coolidge, NM, provides excellent value. Companies of all sizes can benefit from competitive pricing structures, allowing them to maintain a drug-free workplace efficiently without sacrificing their budget. This makes high-standard testing accessible and cost-effective.

• Competitive pricing
• Quick results
• High value

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Coolidge, NM, offer fast and accurate results. Precision in detecting substances is vital, and hair tests provide a quick turnaround without compromising reliability. Analyzing hair samples delivers precise data on substance use, giving individuals and employers the trustworthy results they need to maintain safety and compliance.

• Swift result generation
• High accuracy
• Reliable detection

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle testing in Coolidge, NM, ensures employers comply with workplace drug-free policies, thereby reducing legal risks and enhancing safety. It's a method that gives employers peace of mind, knowing they are supporting a safe, compliant, and productive work environment while protecting their company from potential liabilities.

• Compliance with policies
• Reduction of legal risks
• Enhanced workplace 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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