Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lincoln, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is regarded as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It captures a long-term record of substances by embedding markers in the hair strand's fibers. Collected near the scalp, hair offers up to a three-month window for detecting substances. It is straightforward to collect, relatively tamper-resistant, and easy to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 hairs (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, an optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or assessments exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of sample is recommended. We advise measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, equivalent body hair may be used. "Head hair" refers explicitly to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

Laboratory processing of a drug test result mainly involves four steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial phase of incorporating a sample into a lab’s system. It involves verifying that the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides an initial quick examination for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is cost-effective for ruling out drug usage on most samples, any positive screen must be confirmed for legal acceptance in court. Any samples that return a presumptively positive result in Screening indeed require secondary confirmation.

When a sample is presumptively positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the original specimen for Extraction. In Extraction, drugs are recovered from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the hardest to perform.

Confirmation for any positive screen result is conducted via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The whole processing sequence, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can perceive drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection period.
• Hard to fabricate results: The difficulty of cheating a hair drug test results in more accurate outcomes.
• Tracks usage over time: Offers a pattern of substance use over a duration, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect immediate use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expenses: Generally, hair drug tests are pricier than other drug testing approaches.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth variability can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: While often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand and not the scalp's hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

The hair follicle test in Lincoln, NM stands out against traditional urine tests due to its superior detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair testing offers a more comprehensive understanding of long-term substance use, which is invaluable for employers aiming for thorough evaluations.

Detecting drugs through hair testing provides undeniable accuracy, mitigating the risks of false negatives that may occur with urine testing. This reliability makes it a preferred choice among professionals enforcing zero-tolerance policies, offering them peace of mind with dependable results.

By choosing hair testing over urine testing, Lincoln, NM employers gain a significant advantage with longer detection windows and fewer opportunities for test tampering. Hair testing's accuracy offers a clear representation of an individual's drug history, enhancing safety and compliance at workplaces.

Extended Detection Window

In Lincoln, NM, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window that captures drug use over a lengthy period (up to 90 days). This makes it an advantageous option for employers seeking a comprehensive view of past substance history.

The extended detection period is a key benefit for employers in Lincoln, NM, providing insights into an applicant or current employee's drug use history beyond the immediate past. This wider window is crucial for making informed hiring or employment decisions.

Employers in Lincoln, NM favor hair follicle tests as they provide a long-term record of an individual's substance use, offering evidence that cannot be easily obscured. This thorough view helps secure a drug-free workplace environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Lincoln, NM are significantly resistant to tampering, offering unquestionable results that are crucial for maintaining integrity in testing procedures.

The tamper-resistant nature of hair tests ensures that results remain reliable, removing the potential for sample adulteration that is more common in other testing methods, like urine tests. This guarantees confidence in the outcomes.

Providing Lincon, NM employers with reliable results, hair follicle tests minimize the chances of sample manipulation. This robust approach ensures that test results are indisputable and uphold the integrity of drug testing programs.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our nationwide network of testing centers offers convenience for Lincoln, NM residents, ensuring quick and hassle-free access to drug testing services.

With conveniently located testing facilities, individuals in Lincoln, NM can seamlessly access necessary hair testing services, making the process straightforward and stress-free.

In Lincoln, NM, the ease of accessing hair follicle testing is unmatched, thanks to our extensive network. This ensures that essential testing is both quick and accessible, catering to community needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

Residents of Lincoln, NM can benefit from a simple, confidential process for hair follicle testing, ensuring privacy and ease of use throughout the testing procedure.

The process of ordering, taking, and receiving hair test results is designed to be straightforward and confidential, addressing privacy concerns for individuals in Lincoln, NM, creating a smooth user experience.

In Lincoln, NM, the process for hair follicle testing is thoughtfully crafted to maintain confidentiality while being user-friendly. This approach ensures individuals can comfortably engage with the testing service without privacy worries.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Lincoln, NM, we offer affordable pricing and quick turnaround times for hair follicle tests, providing excellent value for companies of all sizes seeking reliable drug testing solutions.

Competitive pricing structures make hair testing accessible for Lincoln, NM businesses, coupled with fast turnaround times that ensure efficiency without sacrificing quality of results.

Our approach in Lincoln, NM combines reasonable pricing with fast processing, delivering top-notch testing services that assure clients of cost-effectiveness and timely results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Lincoln, NM, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for providing fast, precise, and reliable results. These tests are designed to detect substance use with a high degree of accuracy, ensuring that the findings are trustworthy. Employers value this aspect, knowing that they can rely on the outcomes to make informed decisions.

The speed at which results are delivered is crucial for employers and individuals alike. With hair follicle testing, not only is the process swift, but it also maintains exceptional accuracy. This efficiency ensures that Lincoln, NM residents have access to quick insights into substance use.

Emphasizing precision, hair follicle tests in Lincoln, NM are instrumental in identifying potential substance users accurately. The methodical approach leaves little room for error, providing results that employers and individuals can depend on. This accuracy helps in maintaining a safe, drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing ensures that employers in Lincoln, NM comply easily with drug-free workplace policies, reducing associated legal risks and enhancing safety standards.

For companies in Lincoln, NM, the use of hair follicle testing guarantees compliance with stringent workplace drug policies, providing peace of mind and fostering a secure work environment. This approach diminishes potential legal concerns.

Employers gain peace of mind by implementing hair follicle testing, ensuring they meet compliance regulations. This practice not only promotes safety but also reassures employers that they are protecting their workforce effectively and legally in Lincoln, NM.

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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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