Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Albert, TX

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair offers a long-term history by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the growing strands. When gathered close to the scalp, it can offer up to around a 3-month detection window for substances. Hair is easy to collect, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and convenient to ship.

A sample of 1.5 inches, about 200 strands close to the scalp (approximately the size of a #2 pencil), yields 100mg of hair, the optimal amount for testing and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or panels beyond 10, 150mg is suggested. It’s advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, a similar quantity of body hair can be taken. Head hair refers to only scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (beard, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the first handling of a sample in a lab system. This involves making sure the sample was appropriately sealed and sent, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any required data entry if not previously done by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is the initial rapid check for drug abuse. Though Screening provides a cost-effective way to dismiss drug use in most samples, any positive screen needs confirmation to be valid in legal situations. Any samples presumed positive in Screening need a further confirmation check.

Should a sample be presumed positive during Screening, more hair is taken from the original sample and set up for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration than other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methods to perform.

A confirmation of any positive screening result is done via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that are presumptive positive are cleansed before confirmation as needed. The whole process from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited according to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests with a shorter detection period.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is exceptionally challenging, thus ensuring more precise results.
• Offers historical data: It illustrates a pattern of drug use over time, rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of spotting recent usage: It generally takes 5-7 days for drugs to be evident in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often costlier than other drug testing techniques.
• Results variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although frequently called "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Choose Hair Follicle Tests Over Urine Testing in Albert, TX? Hair follicle testing offers advantages over traditional urine tests, delivering heightened detection accuracy and reliability. The superior sensitivity of hair analysis ensures that substance use is not overlooked, providing a more comprehensive understanding of an individual’s drug history.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Albert, TX Hair follicle tests provide insight into drug use spanning up to 90 days, offering employers a detailed view of an individual’s substance history. This extended window is crucial in evaluating long-term behavior rather than immediate consumption, providing a comprehensive substance use overview.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Albert, TX, the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests minimizes the risk of sample tampering and adulteration. This robust testing method assures employers and legal professionals of the authenticity and reliability of the results, eliminating doubts surrounding the sample’s integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing has convenient nationwide locations, including accessible centers in Albert, TX, offering rapid and effective testing services. This network ensures that regardless of location, individuals and businesses receive timely and efficient drug testing solutions without hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Albert, TX, the process of ordering, undergoing, and receiving results from a hair follicle test is both simple and confidential. Designed to protect privacy and ease of use, the journey from initial testing to final results is streamlined to ensure client comfort and discretion throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our services in Albert, TX are renowned for their affordable pricing and swift turnaround. We emphasize competitive rates and efficient processing times, offering excellent value for businesses of all sizes. Companies can confidently rely on our quick services without compromising on quality or cost-effectiveness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Albert, TX stand out due to their quick and reliable outcomes. Speed and precision characterize this testing method, making it a preferred choice for employers and professionals. Unlike other testing procedures, hair analysis swiftly delivers accurate insights, ensuring that any trace of substance use is promptly detected and reported.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Adopting hair follicle testing in Albert, TX ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies. Employers can bolster compliance while minimizing legal liabilities, fostering a safe and productive work environment. Such assurance brings peace of mind, knowing that staff members are in line with organizational standards.

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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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