Hair Follicle Drug Testing - La Grange, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a prolonged history of alcohol and drugs by trapping biomarkers within the growing hair strand. When sourced close to the scalp, hair can reveal approximately a three-month detection timeframe for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively hard to alter, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample comprising about 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal sample weight for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is recommended to measure the sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. The term head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, while body hair includes other hair types (such as facial or axillary hair).

Process Overview

The lab processing of a drug test result comprises four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory system. This step involves confirming that the sample was appropriately sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any additional data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening involves a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical method to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Samples that are presumptively positive in Screening require subsequent confirmation.

For presumptively positive samples in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction process. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a challenging process to perform.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as required. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which have a more limited detection span.
• Difficult to subvert: It is highly challenging to undermine a hair drug test, enhancing result reliability.
• Provides chronic usage data: Hair drug testing can display a drug usage pattern over time, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect immediate use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

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

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in La Grange, NC, surpasses urine testing with its superior detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests are preferred for their extended detection window and accuracy, offering better insights compared to traditional urine testing methods, which focus on short-term substance use.

Unlike urine tests, which provide a limited detection range, hair follicle tests uncover a history of substance use over several months. This reveals a more comprehensive understanding of an individual's drug usage, offering employers better data for making informed decisions.

Extended Detection Window

Detecting drug use over an extended period, hair follicle testing in La Grange, NC, enables employers to gain insights into an applicant's substance history up to 90 days. This testing window helps reveal long-term patterns of drug use, offering a thorough substance use profile.

The extended detection window allows organizations to make informed hiring or monitoring decisions by evaluating an individual's substance behavior over time. This comprehensive approach is invaluable for maintaining a safe and productive workplace environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in La Grange, NC, effectively reduces the risk of sample adulteration, offering a tamper-resistant method for drug screening. This form of testing delivers reliable and unquestionable results, minimizing opportunities for tampering.

The robust nature of hair tests ensures that results are consistent and truthful, establishing them as an indispensable tool for organizations seeking dependable drug screening methods. By using hair samples, integrity and authenticity are maintained.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing has numerous nationwide testing centers, including locations in La Grange, NC, making drug testing accessible and hassle-free. This widespread presence ensures swift access to necessary testing services.

The convenience of having local and nationwide locations brings ease to arranging tests, providing clients with an efficient and smooth experience. Quick testing proximity aids in reducing logistical complications.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in La Grange, NC, is simple and confidential, addressing privacy concerns and making it user-friendly. Easy ordering, testing, and result retrieval ensures that clients' information remains secure and private.

Confidentiality in drug testing processes promotes trust. The streamlined approach allows for pressure-free compliance with testing requirements, greatly benefiting individuals and organizations alike.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competing on pricing, Accredited Drug Testing offers affordable hair follicle testing in La Grange, NC, while ensuring fast turnaround. These budget-friendly options provide excellent value to businesses of all sizes, ensuring timely results for quick decision-making.

Structured pricing plans help organizations of varying scales afford reliable drug testing, enhancing workplace safety without financial constraint. The efficient process guarantees that results are both swift and economical.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In La Grange, NC, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their speed and accuracy, offering precise detection of substance use. The testing process quickly provides results, making it a preferred choice for rapid assessments. Hair follicle tests ensure that results are consistently reliable and reflect true substance consumption.

With their high degree of precision, hair tests verify substance use with unparalleled accuracy. This method is effective at pinpointing longer-term drug usage, unlike other testing options. The efficiency of this test guarantees quick and dependable outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle testing in La Grange, NC, helps employers maintain a safe workplace environment and comply with drug-free policies. This method reduces legal risks and boosts workplace safety by providing peace of mind regarding employees' substance use.

Compliance with drug-free workplace initiatives becomes a seamless process when using reliable testing methods. Organizations benefit from reduced liability and enhanced safety by choosing hair follicle tests.

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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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