Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lowesville, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a robust means for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. Hair traps biomarkers within the strands as they grow, offering a lengthy timeline for alcohol and drug detection. When collected near the scalp, hair reveals a potential detection span of up to three months for substances. Hair's collection is straightforward, with moderate resistance to tampering, and it ships easily.

A hair sample of 1.5 inches, comprising roughly 200 strands, aligns with the thickness of a #2 pencil and amounts to 100mg—ideal for testing and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. We suggest weighing the specimen with a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent portion of body hair can be substituted. Our reference to head hair specifically concerns scalp hair, whereas body hair covers all other categories (like facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The process of laboratory drug testing divides into four crucial stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is where a sample's entry into the lab's system occurs. This involves ensuring the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, generating a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and conducting any necessary additional data log that the electronic chain of custody system might omit.

Screening constitutes a preliminary assessment for evidence of drugs. Although it efficiently rules out drug usage for most samples, a positive result in Screening demands confirmation for court admissibility. Screening's presumptive positive outcomes necessitate further confirmation.

Should Screening yield a presumptive positive, extra hair from the original collection enters the Extraction phase. In this stage, drugs are released from the hair at concentrations much lower than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation for positive screening results is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if required. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes scrutiny in line with the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standard and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can indicate substance use for as long as 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a briefer timeframe.
• Resistance to cheating: Hair drug testing's difficulty in deception ensures greater result accuracy.
• Timeline of substance use: It captures a user's drug consumption pattern over time, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent use: Drugs take approximately 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs than alternative testing approaches.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates might alter drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests", the procedure evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Lowesville, NC is superior to urine tests due to its enhanced detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, which detect only recent drug use, hair tests capture a longer history of substance use, making them invaluable for employers and other organizations. The precise detection capabilities of hair tests reduce the chance of errors leading to false negatives or positives.

Extended Detection Window

In Lowesville, NC, hair follicle tests shine with their extended detection window. Unlike urine tests, these can trace substance use up to 90 days, offering employers a thorough substance history of applicants or employees. This comprehensive view helps in making informed decisions, ensuring a responsible and safe workforce environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing significantly mitigates the possibility of sample tampering in Lowesville, NC. Collected under supervised conditions, these tests provide reliable, indisputable results. Unlike urine samples, which are more susceptible to adulteration, hair samples remain consistent, ensuring the integrity and honesty of drug screening outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Offering convenience through our nationwide testing network, Accredited Drug Testing ensures accessible services in Lowesville, NC. With local testing centers, individuals can experience a seamless process, removing the hassle from drug testing needs and enabling quick and efficient service every step of the way.

Simple, Confidential Process

The simple, confidential process for hair follicle testing in Lowesville, NC encourages ease of use and allays privacy concerns. From the seamless ordering to the discrete obtaining and receiving of results, clients can confidently engage in testing without the worry of compromising their privacy.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable pricing and quick turnaround make hair follicle testing in Lowesville, NC an ideal choice for businesses of varying sizes. Renowned for competitive pricing structures, these tests provide exceptional value while ensuring timely feedback, empowering companies to proceed with their employment and management activities swiftly.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug testing in Lowesville, NC offers fast, accurate, and reliable results, setting it apart from traditional methods. The precision of hair testing not only ensures high detection accuracy but also provides insights into substance use that urine tests may miss. This modern approach guarantees confidence in results while offering an expeditious testing process for timely assessments.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Lowesville, NC can gain compliance and peace of mind with hair follicle testing. This method aligns with workplace drug-free policies, decreasing legal risks and enhancing workplace safety. Reliable results ensure adherence to regulations, providing clarity in maintaining a productive work environment.

Drug Testing Near Lowesville, NC

McAdenville, NC

Ranlo, NC

High Shoals, NC

Davidson, NC

Paw Creek, NC

Spencer Mountain, NC

Cornelius, NC

Iron Station, NC

Huntersville, NC

Mount Holly, NC

Woodland, NC

Denver, NC

Stanley, NC

Westport, NC

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews