Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cave Creek, AZ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has become recognized as an effective method for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands hold a long-term record of alcohol and other drugs by capturing biomarkers within the fibers as the hair grows. Collected close to the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to about three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat hard to alter, and simple to send.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches from around 200 strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample size for testing and confirmation. For EtG testing, additional tests, and/or those beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is recommended. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen is advised. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, we mean scalp hair specifically. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is the initial step where a sample is processed into the lab's system, ensuring it was sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any necessary data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs a quick preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient approach to exclude drug usage for most samples, a positive result requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that test positive in Screening require a further confirmation step.

For samples that are presumptively positive in the Screening phase, further hair is taken from the original specimen and prepared for the Extraction phase. During Extraction, drugs are removed from hair but at much lower concentrations than in other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing highly challenging.

Confirmation of any positive result from Screening is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation if needed. The full process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is evaluated under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection times.
• Resistance to cheating: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, ensuring more accurate results.
• Offers historical insight: It can reflect a recurring pattern of drug usage over a duration, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to find recent usage: Drugs take approximately 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result inconsistencies: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth patterns can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand and not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine testing in Cave Creek, AZ, hair tests clearly offer superior detection capabilities. While urine tests are limited by a short detection window, hair tests reveal substance use over 90 days. This extended period allows for a more comprehensive evaluation of an individual's history, providing both employers and individuals with a reliable method of ensuring accountability.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Cave Creek, AZ is unparalleled in its ability to detect drug use over extended periods. Unlike other testing methods, which offer a narrow timeframe, hair tests provide employers with insights into substance use up to 90 days. This long detection window helps create a comprehensive profile of an individual’s substance use patterns, making it an excellent tool for both pre-employment and ongoing workplace testing.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

With a focus on reliability, hair follicle testing in Cave Creek, AZ significantly minimizes the risk of sample tampering. Unlike urine tests, which can be adulterated, hair tests offer a meticulous sampling process that ensures the integrity of the results. By radically reducing the chance of manipulation, employers can rely on accurate and incontestable outcomes to make informed decisions based on dependable data.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is a hallmark of our service in Cave Creek, AZ, where Accredited Drug Testing offers locations nationwide. These easily accessible centers ensure that drug testing is hassle-free. With swift processing and convenient locations, individuals and companies can benefit from a streamlined service that meshes seamlessly with busy schedules, removing barriers to essential testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

Ensuring a simple and confidential testing process in Cave Creek, AZ, hair follicle testing protects privacy without compromising efficiency. From ordering a test to receiving results, every step is optimized for discretion and ease. Individuals and employers alike can engage in a seamless, private process, gravitating toward reliable and irreproachable outcomes that ensure satisfaction within a confidential framework.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Combining affordability with fast turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Cave Creek, AZ, offers exceptional value. Competitive pricing makes high-quality testing accessible to companies of all sizes. By providing prompt results and economical solutions, businesses gain peace of mind, knowing they receive dependable service without overextending their budgets. This affordability aligns with efficiency, underscoring the test’s value.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Cave Creek, AZ, hair follicle drug testing is the gold standard for obtaining rapid, precise results. This method shines in its accuracy and consistency, reliably revealing substance usage. Whereas traditional tests may falter, hair testing delivers dependable insights quickly, ensuring individuals and employers have access to the information they need for informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Cave Creek, AZ, hair follicle testing provides businesses with compliance and peace of mind, ensuring adherence to drug-free policies. By using this method, employers significantly decrease their legal risks while promoting a safer working environment. Its long detection capability and difficult-to-manipulate nature ensure comprehensive coverage, offering confidence in maintaining a substance-free workplace.

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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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