Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Barrington Hills, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a comprehensive history of drug and alcohol use by embedding biomarkers within the strands of hair as it grows. When obtained near the scalp, hair offers a detection window of up to around three months for alcohol and drugs. It is easy to gather, hard to tamper with, and simple to mail.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches that includes roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is ideal for screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, it is advised to collect 150mg of the specimen. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. In cases where scalp hair is not available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, we exclusively refer to scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result entails four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into a laboratory’s system. This involves confirming that the sample was adequately sealed and dispatched, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data input not facilitated by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is the preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be lawful in court. Samples that are presumptively positive following Screening necessitate a subsequent confirmation.

If a sample yields a presumptively positive result in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for Extraction. In this phase, drug extraction occurs at much lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most complex procedure to execute.

Confirmation of any positive Screen results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples undergo cleansing before confirmation as needed. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning through Confirmation adheres to review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug exams can reveal drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine exams, which have a shorter detection period.
• Challenging to falsify: Successfully tampering with a hair drug test is very difficult, rendering the outcomes more reliable.
• Delivers historical insights: It provides a timeline of drug consumption over an extended duration, not merely recent use.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent consumption: Drugs become identifiable in hair in approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than alternative testing approaches.
• Result variations: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: While often called "hair follicle tests", the examination 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 Barrington Hills, IL centers on the advantages of hair over urine tests. A primary benefit of hair testing is its extended detection window, capturing drug use over a more extended period.

Compared to urine, hair follicle tests excel in providing a clearer, long-term picture of substance history, making it a superior choice for employers.

Another advantage is the reduced possibility of manipulation when collecting samples, further ensuring the reliability of results obtained.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Barrington Hills, IL focuses on hair follicle testing's ability to track drug use over 90 days. This expansive timeframe allows employers insights into an individual’s long-term substance habits.

By offering a comprehensive view of an employee's drug history, hair tests provide employers a powerful tool for evaluating potential risks.

Such a wide-ranging detection window ensures that even sporadic drug use doesn't go unnoticed, aiding organizational safety and decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Barrington Hills, IL showcases hair tests as a formidable defense against sample tampering. Their innate design makes it difficult to adulterate the sample, ensuring credible outcomes.

With hair follicle testing, concerns about sample integrity diminish, setting it apart from more easily manipulated methods.

Trust in the hair testing process is bolstered by its resistance to tampering, making it an esteemed choice for accurate, unquestionable results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Barrington Hills, IL highlight our expansive network of testing centers.

With centers across the nation and locally in Barrington Hills, accessing convenient testing services has never been simpler.

Ensuring straightforward and hassle-free testing experiences, these broad locations ensure that both national and local needs are met efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Barrington Hills, IL emphasizes the seamless steps involved in hair follicle testing.

From placing orders to processing and receiving results, each step is clear-cut, addressing privacy concerns and ensuring confidentiality.

Users are assured an easy, secure journey from start to finish, with all necessary protections and privacy standards upheld throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Barrington Hills, IL strengthens your trust in our cost-effective testing solutions.

Competitive pricing structures ensure value for money without compromising on quality or speed of service.

Offering quick turnaround times, our services meet the needs of companies of all sizes, delivering peace of mind efficiently.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Barrington Hills, IL highlight the efficiency of hair follicle drug assessments. Known for their swiftness, these tests provide dependable results, quickly detecting any substance use.

Precision remains a hallmark of hair testing. Especially adept at identifying drug use, these tests boast high accuracy levels. Employers and professionals can trust the results to be both timely and precise.

The unmatched speed and reliability of hair follicle testing make it a favored choice, especially in scenarios demanding quick and spot-on results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Barrington Hills, IL centers on the reassurance hair follicle testing brings, aligning with workplace drug policies.

Employers can ensure regulatory compliance and promote a safer work environment by choosing hair tests, lowering legal risks.

By integrating this testing approach, firms enjoy heightened confidence in their workforce's integrity and safety.

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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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