Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Allentown, FL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a potent resource for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands offer a protracted timeline of drug and alcohol use by capturing biomarkers within the strands' growing fibers. When gathered directly from the scalp, it allows for a detection timeframe of nearly three months for both alcohol and substances. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient for shipping.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the circumference of a #2 pencil) from the scalp end provides 100mg of hair, deemed optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional inclusions, or assessments exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advised. It is preferable to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be insufficient, corresponding quantities of body hair may be retrieved. When discussing head hair, it solely pertains to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other forms (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a specimen into a laboratory's system, ensuring the sample's proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing data entry omitted by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary evaluation for drug abuse. While Screening is a cost-saving strategy to dismiss drug use in the majority of cases, any positive screening result must be confirmed for legitimacy in legal scenarios. Presumptively positive screenings necessitate secondary validation.

If Screening suggests a positive result, additional hair from the initial batch is prepared for Extraction. This involves removing drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than methods like urine or oral fluid testing, thus making hair drug screening notably challenging.

Confirmation for a positive screen is achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positives are cleaned pre-confirmation when required. The laboratory process from Accessioning through Confirmation is vetted under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair protocol and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can indicate drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a briefer detection period.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, leading to more trustworthy outcomes.
• Chronological data: It can reveal a pattern in drug use over time, not only recent usage.

Limitations:

• Lacks recent usage detection: Drugs become detectable in hair roughly 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Cost factor: Hair drug tests generally incur higher expenses compared to other testing forms.
• Result variability: Variables like hair color and individual growth rates influence the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests," the assessment targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Comparing hair follicle testing to urine tests in Allentown, FL highlights several benefits. Hair tests offer superior detection accuracy and reliability, making them preferable over traditional methods. Their extended detection period and difficulty in falsifying results position them as a stronger option for those requiring thorough and dependable drug screening.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests in Allentown, FL provide a detection window of up to 90 days, enabling employers to gain a broader understanding of an individual's substance use history. This extended timeframe is invaluable for assessing an applicant or employee's long-term habits, setting hair testing apart from other methods with shorter detection periods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Allentown, FL, hair follicle testing significantly minimizes the potential for sample tampering. The method ensures reliable and indisputable results, as the observed collection process reduces the opportunities for adulteration. This makes hair testing a trustworthy and tamper-resistant option for accurate drug screening.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our widespread testing centers offer unparalleled convenience across the nation, including in Allentown, FL. With numerous locations, accessing testing services is quick and hassle-free, ensuring an effortless experience for individuals and companies requiring drug screening services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Allentown, FL is straightforward and ensures confidentiality. From ordering the test to receiving results, every step is designed with privacy and ease in mind, addressing any concerns users might have about the procedure's simplicity and discretion.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Allentown, FL, our hair follicle testing services provide competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times. This commitment to affordability, paired with quick result delivery, offers companies excellent value and reassurance, regardless of size or industry.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Allentown, FL, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their speed and reliability. Their precision ensures a high level of accuracy in identifying substance use, making them a preferred choice for those seeking accurate results. The ability to deliver swift outcomes without compromising on accuracy is a significant advantage of hair testing.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Allentown, FL ensures adherence to workplace drug-free policies, providing employers with peace of mind. By reducing legal risks and enhancing safety standards, hair testing supports companies in maintaining a compliant and secure work environment through accurate substance use assessments.

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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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