Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Rio Communities, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly regarded as an effective means for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended record of alcohol and various drugs by trapping biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When taken near the scalp, hair can provide a detection window of up to around three months for alcohol and other substances. Hair is easy to collect, relatively difficult to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch section comprising roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp equates to 100mg of hair, which is optimal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests surpassing 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We advocate using a jeweler's scale to weigh the specimen. If scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, we are specifically referring to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other hair types (such as facial or axillary).

Process Overview

The primary steps in the lab handling of a drug test result are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial entry of a sample into the laboratory’s system. This includes verifying proper sealing and shipment of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial swift evaluation for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-effective method to discount drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be validated to be acceptable in legal proceedings. Any samples that preliminarily test positive in Screening require further confirmation.

If a sample tests provisionally positive in the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in alternative methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing a challenging method to execute.

Definitive confirmation of any positive screening outcome is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug consumption for up to 90 days, while urine tests have a narrower detection period.
• Difficulty to deceive: It is highly challenging to deceive a hair drug test, resulting in more precise outcomes.
• Offers historical insight: It can reveal a pattern of drug consumption over a duration, rather than solely recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent usage: It necessitates about 5-7 days for drugs to appear in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs than other drug testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: While commonly termed "hair follicle tests," the analysis actually assesses the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers significant benefits over traditional urine testing, especially in Rio Communities, NM.
Compared to urine tests, hair tests provide a wider detection window and improved accuracy. Substances are traceable far longer in hair, delivering reliable results that are less prone to tampering. For employers who focus on maintaining a drug-free workplace, hair testing ensures zero-tolerance compliance with confidence.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing is a notable advantage in Rio Communities, NM.
Unlike other testing methods, hair tests can uncover drug use over a 90-day period, offering employers a comprehensive record of an individual's substance usage history. This detailed overview aids in making more informed decisions about potential or current employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing is a tamper-resistant method that ensures reliability in Rio Communities, NM.
Unlike tests that can be manipulated, the structure of hair testing renders it resilient against sample adulteration. This results in dependable outcomes that both employers and individuals can trust, supporting an environment rooted in integrity and accuracy.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

For those in Rio Communities, NM, we provide convenient access to nationwide and local testing facilities.
Our vast network of centers ensures that testing services are easily accessible without any hassle. Employers and individuals benefit from the immediate availability of reliable testing locations, fostering a stress-free journey from start to finish.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Rio Communities, NM, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential.
From ordering to receiving results, every step is designed to protect privacy and ensure ease of use. This process eases any concerns and guarantees that all interactions with our services are both discreet and uncomplicated.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

We offer competitive pricing and rapid results for hair follicle testing in Rio Communities, NM.
Our affordable pricing structures ensure accessibility to businesses across various sizes, while fast turnaround times deliver valuable peace of mind. We aim to maintain the optimal balance between cost and quality service provision.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Rio Communities, NM, hair follicle drug tests are noted for their prompt and precise results.
These tests can swiftly identify substance use with a high degree of accuracy. The methodology used minimizes error, ensuring that results are both trustworthy and dependable, granting peace of mind to all parties involved. It's an ideal solution for quick and clear substance detection.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Rio Communities, NM offers compliance and reassurance for employers.
This method supports adherence to drug-free workplace policies, thereby reducing potential legal complications and bolstering workplace safety. Implementation of these tests embodies a proactive stance on ensuring a secured and healthy working 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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