Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Burlington, TX

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drugs and alcohol usage. Hair acts as a repository of long-term alcohol and drug histories by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When sampled close to the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use for a period of up to roughly three months. Hair is easy to obtain, relatively hard to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of about 200 hair strands (approximately the width of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both initial screening and follow-up testing. For tests like EtG and those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for precise weighing. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. Note that ‘head hair’ specifically refers to scalp hair. ‘Body hair’ covers all other hair types, such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for a drug test result encompasses four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the step where a sample is initially logged into a laboratory’s system. This phase ensures the sample was correctly sealed and transported, assigns it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishes any supplementary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial rapid assessment for substances of abuse. While Screening is cost-efficient for excluding drug usage in most samples, a positive outcome requires verification to be valid in legal proceedings. All samples identified as potentially positive in Screening must undergo a secondary verification.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. At this stage, drugs are separated from the hair at a substantially lower concentration than other testing methods like urine or oral fluid, making hair drug screening especially challenging.

Verification of any positive screening result is carried out using techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any samples identified as presumptive positive are cleaned prior to confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes assessment under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for a span of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a limited detection duration.
• Resistance to tampering: It is extremely challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, making the results more reliable.
• Captures historical usage: It can showcase drug usage trends over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests are often costlier compared to other drug testing approaches.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and personal variations in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although frequently called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Burlington, TX, hair follicle testing stands out as a superior alternative to traditional urine testing. With its unparalleled accuracy, it offers detection capabilities that urine tests lack, effectively identifying a wider range of substances and ensuring better reliability in results.

Advantages of Hair Testing:

• Extensive detection period covering up to 90 days.
• Reliable identification of drug use history.
• Reduced chances of tampering or adulteration compared to urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

In Burlington, TX, hair follicle testing provides an extended detection window, unmatched by traditional methods. While urine tests monitor short-term use, hair tests present insights into substance use over a period up to 90 days, delivering a complete view of an applicant’s or employee’s drug history.

Employers are granted a broader scope of analysis, significantly impacting hiring decisions and workplace safety. Building on this extended detection period, hair testing serves as a pivotal tool for thorough substance checks, aligning with compliance and risk management goals.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

One of the standout features of hair follicle drug tests in Burlington, TX, is their tamper-resistant nature. These tests significantly limit the possibilities for sample adulteration, offering results that are both reliable and irrefutable.

The sample collection process itself adds an additional layer of security, ensuring that the integrity of the test is maintained from start to finish. This commitment to accuracy guarantees trustworthy findings, essential for employers and organizations dedicated to maintaining stringent drug-free policies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

One of the key advantages of our hair follicle drug testing service in Burlington, TX, is the convenience provided by our nationwide testing centers. This accessibility ensures all individuals can quickly and easily access testing services without hassle.
Local and national availability enhances user experience, presenting a seamless and efficient testing journey, eliminating delays often encountered with less accessible testing methods.

Simple, Confidential Process

Hair follicle testing in Burlington, TX, is conducted through a straightforward and confidential process. Ensuring privacy at every stage, from ordering the test to receiving results, the procedure meets the needs of individuals and organizations prioritizing discretion.

The simple process alleviates concerns related to privacy breaches, offering peace of mind to those seeking secure and non-intrusive testing options. This ease of use along with confidentiality underscores the effectiveness of hair testing protocols in Texas.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordability in drug testing, combined with fast processing, ensures that businesses in Burlington, TX receive optimal value. Our competitive pricing model includes swift turnaround times that cater to companies, regardless of size, seeking cost-effective drug screening solutions.

The commingling of affordability and rapid results is essential for timely decision-making, granting organizations the ability to maintain stringent oversight on substance use while keeping expenses predictable and manageable.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle testing in Burlington, TX, offers fast and accurate results, setting a new benchmark in substance detection methods. Its high precision stems from its minimal margin of error in identifying drug use, providing peace of mind to employers and individuals alike.
Precision matters in ensuring that every case of substance use is caught swiftly, underscoring hair testing’s superiority in delivering dependable findings.

The advantage of hair follicle testing is not just its speed but its reliability too. In Burlington, TX, this method stands out as the epitome of comprehensive drug testing solutions, leaving little room for false negatives or inconclusive outcomes. It’s an approach that resonates with those who prioritize not just speed, but unwavering accuracy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Burlington, TX, utilizing hair follicle testing facilitates compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method not only ensures adherence to legal guidelines but also enhances safety across the workplace, making it a crucial part of risk management.

By choosing hair follicle tests, employers achieve peace of mind knowing that comprehensive testing solutions are in place, reducing legal risks and fortifying a safe environment for all employees. This adherence to compliance reflects positively on workplace culture, fostering trust and reliability company-wide.

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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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