Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Argenta, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a timeline of alcohol and drugs by securing biomarkers within the growing strand's fibers. Collected close to the scalp, hair can offer up to an approximately three-month window for detecting alcohol and drugs. It is easy to collect hair samples, difficult to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch section, containing around 200 hair strands (about as thick as a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp, yields 100mg of hair—perfect for screening and confirmation. For EtG add-ons and tests over 10 panels, a 150mg sample is optimal. We advise using a jeweler's scale for weighing. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair can be collected. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair denotes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in the lab processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the introduction of a specimen into a lab's system. This step verifies the proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigns a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number) at random, and completes any additional data entry omitted by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening performs a preliminary look for drugs of abuse. While Screening offers a cost-effective way to discount drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be valid in court. Any samples showing a presumptive positive in Screening demand subsequent confirmation.

Should a specimen test presumptively positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (like urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening remains the most demanding methodology.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before confirmation, presumptive positive samples are washed as needed. The complete laboratory operation from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation along with accreditation per ISO / IEC 17025 norms.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests reveal drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a shorter detection span.
• Hard to falsify: Cheating a hair drug test is tough, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It can show a timeline of drug use over a duration, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for hair to show drug traces.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Although termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on 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 Argenta, IL revolves around superior detection capabilities. Traditional urine tests fall short when compared to the depth and reliability of hair analysis. With hair testing, identifying drug use becomes more accurate, as the method observes a prolonged detection period. Urine tests simply cannot match this level of thoroughness.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Argenta, IL is a definitive advantage of hair follicle testing. It allows employers to observe drug use over a duration of up to 90 days, offering a detailed understanding of an individual's substance history. This timeframe is unparalleled, laying bare a reliable drug use profile far beyond what urine testing can reveal.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Argenta, IL offers unmatched scrutiny. Hair follicle tests are designed to minimize tampering risk, ensuring that results are both reliable and irrefutable. This robustness provides employers with confidence in the integrity of the testing outcomes, as hair samples are far less susceptible to manipulation than urine samples.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations including Local Locations in Argenta, IL ensure quick and hassle-free access to our testing services. Accredited Drug Testing's extensive network provides seamless service availability. Many testing centers across the nation, and directly in Argenta, support efficient and easy testing experiences regardless of location.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Argenta, IL makes hair follicle testing exceptionally accessible. The process of ordering, conducting, and receiving results is straightforward and respects privacy concerns. Understanding the necessity for discretion, we have made the entire testing pathway unintrusive and user-friendly, catering to individual privacy assurances.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Argenta, IL means that hair follicle testing delivers both value and efficacy. Our competitive pricing schemes, backed by swift result delivery, offer companies, large or small, unbeatable service value. Swift processing times complement cost-effective offerings, ensuring peace of mind for all clients.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Argenta, IL make hair follicle drug tests stand out. Offering unprecedented precision, these tests capture a detailed history of substance use. The accuracy is unmatched, ensuring that employers receive the most critical insights without delay. Choosing hair tests in Argenta equates to choosing swift and dependable outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Argenta, IL come from using hair follicle testing. Ensuring adherence to drug-free workplace policies is crucial. This approach not only reduces legal vulnerabilities but also enhances overall workplace safety. The peace of mind from reliable testing cannot be overstated in maintaining strict compliance standards.

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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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