Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bondville, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers a prolonged history of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers within the hair strand’s fibers as it grows. When obtained near the scalp, hair can provide a detection span of nearly 3 months for alcohol and various drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, difficult to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 strands (similar to the circumference of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp will yield 100mg, which is the preferred amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is advisable. Use a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If a scalp hair is absent, a comparable quantity of body hair can be taken. When mentioning head hair, it solely pertains to scalp hair. Body hair denotes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key steps in laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial processing of a sample into the lab’s system. This process confirms that the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any extra data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary quick evaluation for drugs of abuse. While Screening is economical for ruling out drug use in most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be valid in court. All samples that appear positive in Screening require a secondary confirmation.

Should a sample appear positive at the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepped for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methodologies (ex. urine or oral fluid), which contributes to why hair drug screening is considered the most challenging methodology to conduct.

Confirmation of a positive screening outcome is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are cleansed as necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is vetted under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug assessments can trace drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine assessments which have a briefer detection period.
• Cheating challenge: It is extremely tough to deceive a hair drug test, ensuring more accurate outcomes.
• Offers historical insight: It can expose a drug use pattern over time, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to spot recent usage: Drugs take approximately 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug assessments are typically costlier than other drug testing approaches.
• Result discrepancies: Hair color and individual differences in hair growth can affect drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests", the test actually examines the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Bondville, IL stems from its superior detection capabilities. Hair tests are less likely to be tampered with and offer a detection window of up to 90 days, far beyond the scope of urine tests. Traditional urine tests are limited in both detection period and resistance to manipulation, whereas hair testing provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term substance use.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing allows detection of drug use over a substantial period, reaching up to 90 days. This extensive timeframe in Bondville, IL, provides employers with a complete overview of an individual's substance history. Such insight is crucial for making informed hiring and employment decisions, ensuring both safety and compliance within the workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing significantly mitigates the risk of sample tampering. In Bondville, IL, the collection process is designed to be tamper-resistant, maintaining the integrity of the tested sample. By making it difficult to adulterate, hair tests deliver reliable and consistent results, ensuring that any findings presented are trustworthy and accurate for all stakeholders involved.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations are accessible in Bondville, IL, offering ease and simplicity for those needing testing services. With centers available nationwide, the process is made quick and hassle-free, catering to individuals and businesses alike. This widespread accessibility ensures that testing is straightforward and available where and when needed most, with local centers included.

Simple, Confidential Process

The procedure for hair follicle testing in Bondville, IL, is both simple and confidential. From ordering the test to receiving the results, each step is designed with privacy and ease in mind. This ensures that users can comfortably undergo testing without concerns of privacy invasion, making the process user-friendly and discreet, while upholding accuracy and security.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Bondville, IL, our affordable pricing and fast turnaround ensure excellent value for businesses of any size. We offer competitive pricing structures that don't sacrifice quality, allowing organizations to monitor substance use effectively. The prompt delivery of results ensures you get the information you need without delay, fostering a productive and safe workplace environment.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bondville, IL, hair follicle drug tests provide accuracy and swift processing unmatched by traditional methods. This method stands out due to its high precision in detecting a variety of substances, offering results you can rely on. The quick turnaround time ensures timely decision-making, vital for maintaining workplace standards and addressing any concerns related to substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing ensures compliance and peace of mind for employers in Bondville, IL. By adhering to the drug-free policies required in many workplaces, this testing method reduces legal risks and promotes a safer working environment. Ensuring compliance is crucial in maintaining a reputable and secure workplace where employees can thrive without the influence of substances.

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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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