Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Dunken, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is esteemed as an effective resource for spotting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged history of substances by embedding biomarkers within the fiber of the growing strand. When samples are gathered near the scalp, they can present up to a roughly 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and various drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hairs (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) from near the scalp provides 100mg, which is the preferred amount for analysis and confirmation. For EtG, additional analyses, and/or panels beyond 10, 150mg of the sample is suggested. It is advisable to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. When referencing head hair, it exclusively means scalp hair. Body hair refers to any other hair type (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory evaluation of a drug test consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial sorting of a sample into a laboratory's domain. This step verifies the sample's proper sealing and dispatching, assigns an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any residual data input missing from an electronic chain of custody platform.

Screening is a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of misuse. Though Screening is a budget-friendly method to exclude drug consumption in most samples, a positive screen demands confirmation for legal acceptance. Samples that appear positive in Screening necessitate additional verification.

Should a sample appear positive at Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at considerably lesser concentrations than alternative methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), establishing hair drug screening as the most challenging procedure to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screen is performed utilizing GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if required. The entirety of the lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests identify drug consumption for as much as 90 days, compared to the shorter span in urine tests.
• High difficulty to manipulate: It is highly arduous to falsify a hair drug test, ensuring more precise outcomes.
• Reveals historical usage: It discloses a timeline of drug use, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• No near-term detection: It takes 5-7 days for drugs to manifest in hair.
• Expense: Hair tests are often pricier than other drug detection techniques.
• Result variations: Hair color and individual growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Though commonly cited as "hair follicle tests", the examination itself scrutinizes the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Dunken, NM, hair follicle testing is recognized for its advantages over traditional urine tests. The superior detection abilities and reliability of hair tests make them a preferred choice for precise substance use screening.

By choosing hair follicle testing, one benefits from a higher detection accuracy compared to urine testing methods, which boosts confidence in the test results received.

Extended Detection Window

Through hair follicle testing in Dunken, NM, drug use can be detected over a significantly extended timeframe, up to 90 days. This provides employers with a detailed view of an individual’s substance history beyond that of other methods.

Employers gain a comprehensive understanding of drug use with hair follicle testing, covering extended periods up to three months, making it an essential tool for assessments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Dunken, NM, is a tamper-resistant method, reducing the chances of sample adulteration. The security of the process ensures the reliability and clarity of results.

The integrity of hair follicle tests, with its resistance to adulteration, ensures that the results are indisputable and trustworthy, making it a favorite choice.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With Accredited Drug Testing, Dunken, NM benefits from nationwide testing centers, ensuring easy and hassle-free access to vital testing services wherever you are.

The convenience of widespread locations enhances the testing experience, allowing individuals to access necessary services with ease and simplicity.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Dunken, NM remains simple and confidential. From ordering to testing and receiving results, the need for privacy and convenience is thoroughly addressed.

Privacy concerns are alleviated with clear procedures in place, ensuring the process is straightforward and secure, boosting user confidence.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Dunken, NM, affordable pricing and quick turnaround times are hallmarks of our hair follicle testing, offering excellent value alongside rapid results.

Competitive pricing structures mean that businesses of all sizes can benefit from high-quality drug testing services without breaking the bank.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

When seeking fast, accurate, and dependable drug testing in Dunken, NM, hair follicle tests stand out. Their precision in detecting substance use is unmatched, providing results that are both quick and reliable.

Hair follicle testing offers unparalleled accuracy, swiftly identifying drug use with impressive precision. This speed, paired with reliability, ensures you're receiving the best results possible.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies in Dunken, NM is achievable with hair follicle testing. This reduces legal risks and enhances the safety of the environment when reliable testing methods are used.

Employers achieve peace of mind knowing that hair follicle testing supports compliance with policies, contributing to a safer, more secure workplace.

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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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