Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Leon Valley, TX

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an influential method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair can reveal a prolonged history of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When taken near the scalp, it can reveal a detection period of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and other substances. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively challenging to tamper with, and easy to dispatch.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of around 200 hair strands (about the volume of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will provide 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for testing and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or assays beyond 10 panels, it is advisable to gather 150mg of the specimen. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for measuring the specimen is advisable. In instances where scalp hair is lacking, a similar volume of body hair can be gathered. The term head hair refers exclusively to scalp hair, while body hair pertains to all extra types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test outcome involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary handling of a sample into a laboratory’s framework. This step includes certifying that the sample was properly sealed and sent, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any further data entry not supplied by an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening consists of an initial brief evaluation for illicit drug presence. While Screening is a cost-efficient procedure to exclude drug usage in the majority of samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be valid in court. Any samples that test presumptively positive in Screening mandate secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at considerably lower concentrations than with other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug screening is the most challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation as needed. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Prolonged detection period: Hair drug tests are capable of identifying drug use for up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which have a shorter detection period.
• Challenging to deceive: It is significantly challenging to deceive a hair drug test, thus ensuring more precise outcomes.
• Offers historical insight: It can provide a history of drug consumption over a time frame, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent usage: It takes about 5-7 days for substances to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than other drug testing techniques.
• Result fluctuations: Variables such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can affect the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Despite being commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests", the test actually examines the hair strand instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Choose Hair Over Urine Testing in Leon Valley, TX?
Hair follicle testing stands out for its superior detection capabilities and reliability compared to traditional urine tests. It offers a much broader detection window, encompassing several months, and is a preferred choice for employers and institutions seeking accurate assessments.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window
Hair follicle testing provides an extensive detection window, tracing drug use for up to 90 days. This offers employers in Leon Valley a thorough overview of an individual's substance usage history, which is advantageous during the hiring process or regular employee screenings.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method
One of the significant advantages of hair follicle tests is their resilience to tampering. This method greatly minimizes the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring credible and unquestionable outcomes, crucial for maintaining integrity in drug testing protocols.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Testing Locations
With testing facilities nationwide, including local options in Leon Valley, accessing testing services has never been more convenient. Our centers are designed to offer seamless, stress-free, and prompt testing experiences for all clients.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process
Understanding the importance of privacy, we offer a straightforward and confidential process for tests. From ordering to receiving results, clients in Leon Valley can expect a hassle-free experience that emphasizes ease and privacy.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Quick Turnaround
In Leon Valley, our drug testing services are competitively priced to provide exceptional value. Coupled with fast turnaround times, organizations of any size can benefit from our cost-effective and efficient testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate Results in Leon Valley, TX
In Leon Valley, hair follicle drug tests promise rapid and precise outcomes. These tests excel in detecting substance use with unmatched accuracy, ensuring that results are both reliable and swift, aiding in timely decision-making for various stakeholders.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind
Employers in Leon Valley gain compliance with drug-free workplace policies through hair follicle testing. This approach minimizes legal risks while promoting safety, offering peace of mind by reducing violations associated with workplace substance abuse.

Drug Testing Near Leon Valley, TX

Hill Country Village, TX

Alamo Heights, TX

Grey Forest, TX

San Antonio, TX

Olmos Park, TX

Shavano Park, TX

Lackland AFB, TX

Helotes, TX

West Bexar, TX

Castle Hills, TX

Balcones Heights, TX

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