Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Wheatland, NM

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is regarded as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol usage. Hair can showcase a long-term record of alcohol and other drugs by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When gathered near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a roughly 3-month detection period for alcohol and other substances. Hair is straightforward to collect, moderately hard to tamper with, and hassle-free to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches, comprising around 200 strands of hair (approximately the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the ideal sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg specimen is advisable. We suggest measuring the specimen on a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be inaccessible, a comparable amount of body hair can be collected. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other hair categories (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key phases in the laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the preliminary processing of a sample into a laboratory’s framework. This process verifies that the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening comprises a quick initial examination for drugs of abuse. Screening serves as a cost-effective approach to rule out drug use in most samples; however, a positive screen must be confirmed to be permissible in court. Any samples indicated as presumptively positive during Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

If the Screening phase indicates a sample is presumptively positive, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), showcasing why hair drug screening is the most challenging method to perform.

Confirmation for any positive screening result occurs via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are cleansed prior to confirmation as needed. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning through to Confirmation is thoroughly vetted under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests unveil drug use over up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection period.
• Challenging to deceive: Cheating on a hair drug test is quite challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Reveals historical usage patterns: It offers insight into drug use patterns over time, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: It takes roughly 5-7 days for drugs to become analyzable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests are costlier compared to other drug testing alternatives.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth differences may influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although frequently known as "hair follicle tests", this test examines the hair strand, excluding the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why does hair follicle testing beat urine testing in Wheatland, NM? Hair testing offers superior detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike traditional urine tests, hair tests provide a longer detection window and are less susceptible to tampering, making them a preferred choice for comprehensive drug screenings.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Wheatland, NM, allows for drug use detection over a longer period, often up to 90 days. This provides employers with a comprehensive view of an individual's substance use history, offering valuable insights for making informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Wheatland, NM are renowned for being a tamper-resistant testing method. They significantly reduce the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring reliable and unquestionable results that can be trusted by employers and legal entities alike.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our convenient nationwide testing locations include local centers in Wheatland, NM. This network guarantees quick, easy, and hassle-free access to testing services, making it simple for individuals and employers to get the analyses they require without delay.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Wheatland, NM, the simple and confidential process of hair follicle testing is designed for ease of use. This ensures privacy and efficiency, as customers can order tests, provide samples, and receive results discreetly and with minimal fuss.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable pricing and fast turnaround in Wheatland, NM ensures excellent value. Our competitive pricing structures and quick result times offer peace of mind and quality service to companies of any size.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests offer fast, accurate, and reliable results in Wheatland, NM. Their precision in detecting substance use is unmatched, making them a reliable choice for employers and individuals. Accuracy is a key feature, ensuring that substance use is identified diligently.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Wheatland, NM can enjoy compliance and peace of mind by utilizing hair follicle testing. Ensuring adherence to workplace drug-free policies reduces legal risks and enhances workplace safety, offering employers a sense of security and trust in their workforce.

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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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