Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Tat Momoli, AZ

What it is, How it works

Hair screening has emerged as an effective method for unveiling drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as a historical archive of alcohol and other substance usage by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When taken near the scalp, hair can offer up to around a three-month detection frame for alcohol and other drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easy to mail.

A 1.5-inch snippet consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the preferred sample for testing and validation. For EtG, add-ons, or testing beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent amount of body hair may be gathered. When discussing head hair, we refer solely to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types such as facial and axillary.

Process Overview

The key stages in laboratory processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary processing of a sample into a lab’s system. This process encompasses verifying proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data input not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial rapid inspection for substances of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient means to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be validated to be deemed admissible in legal proceedings. All samples showing presumptive positive results in Screening demand secondary confirmation.

If a sample appears presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is retrieved from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. In this phase, substances are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than through other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening the most challenging technique to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcomes is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the certification to ISO/IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug assessments can expose drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a briefer detection span.
• Infeasibility to tamper: It's incredibly challenging to deceive a hair drug test, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Delivers historical insight: It provides a pattern of substance use over time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Unable to identify recent usage: It requires around 5-7 days for substances to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug assessments are generally pricier compared to other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the concentration of substance metabolites in the hair.

Note: Frequently referred to as "hair follicle tests", the test itself analyzes the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing
In Tat Momoli, AZ, the superiority of hair follicle tests over traditional urine tests becomes evident. Hair testing’s detection accuracy is unmatched, closely identifying various substances over extended periods. While urine tests remain common, they lack the extended detection window that hair tests provide, giving a fuller picture of one's substance history.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window
In Tat Momoli, AZ, hair follicle testing offers a prolonged detection window, up to 90 days, presenting a thorough overview of a person's drug use history. This method provides a substantial advantage over shorter detection alternatives, like urine tests, and supports employers in maintaining a comprehensive understanding of an employee’s substance use.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method
In Tat Momoli, AZ, the hair follicle testing method reduces the possibility of sample adulteration, ensuring reliability. This testing strategy offers employers and legal authorities a trustworthy and unalterable option, crucial for accurate drug testing. Hair tests' inherent resilience against tampering bolsters their credibility.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations
Across Tat Momoli, AZ, and beyond, our widespread testing centers enable accessible and efficient services. This network guarantees that individuals and companies can easily reach testing facilities, minimizing logistical issues and providing a hassle-free experience for everyone involved.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process
In Tat Momoli, AZ, the process for hair follicle testing is straightforward and private. Ordering, taking the test, and obtaining results is seamless, addressing privacy concerns effectively. The ease of the entire process ensures comfort and confidentiality, making testing as stress-free as possible.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround
In Tat Momoli, AZ, our hair follicle testing services offer competitive pricing coupled with swift results. Companies of all sizes benefit from these advantages, ensuring value and reassurance. Our affordable plans and fast response times make us a top choice for reliable testing services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results
In Tat Momoli, AZ, individuals appreciate the accuracy of hair follicle drug tests. With a level of precision unattainable by other methods, these tests quickly identify substance presence. Ideal for those needing dependable results, hair tests uphold high standards, offering timely feedback and decisively clear outcomes, critical for informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers
In Tat Momoli, AZ, hair follicle testing aids in upholding workplace drug-free policies. Ensuring compliance, this method significantly reduces legal risks and enhances safety. For employers, peace of mind is paramount, and adopting this testing process solidifies a commitment to workplace integrity and reliability.

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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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