Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cissna Park, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an efficient method for identifying substance and alcohol use. Hair strands capture a long-term history of substances by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of each growing strand. When collected near the scalp, it can provide a detection period for drugs and alcohol extending up to a quarter year. Collection of hair is uncomplicated, relatively challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches containing roughly 200 strands (comparable to the diameter of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is ideal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional analysis, and/or testing over 10 panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is recommended. In the absence of scalp hair, an equal quantity of body hair may be used. By scalp hair, we specifically mean head hair. Body hair refers to all other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The principal stages in processing a laboratory drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning requires the initial integration of a specimen into the laboratory system. This incorporates ensuring that the specimen was properly sealed and dispatched, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any essential data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening offers a preliminary assessment for substance abuse. Though a cost-efficient way to eliminate drug use for most specimens, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for courtroom admissibility. Any samples deemed presumptively positive during Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.

If the Screening stage yields a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations much lower than in alternative methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug analysis is the most complex method.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcome is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples testing presumptively positive are washed before confirmation as needed. The comprehensive laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined in accordance with both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 certification standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests reveal drug use spanning up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection span.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is notoriously difficult, ensuring more reliable outcomes.
• Delivers historical insight: It offers a trajectory of drug consumption over time, not merely recent usage.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to identify recent use: Drugs typically require 5-7 days to become detectable within hair.
• Expense: Hair drug analyses generally incur higher costs than alternative testing modalities.
• Outcome variability: Factors like hair pigment and individual differences in hair growth can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Often mislabeled as "hair follicle tests", the assessment is conducted on the hair strand rather than the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle drug testing is often superior to urine tests in Cissna Park, IL. The main advantage lies in its detection accuracy and reliability. Hair tests have a longer detection window and are less susceptible to sample tampering compared to traditional urine testing methods.

Furthermore, hair tests offer a more comprehensive insight due to their ability to detect prolonged substance use, giving a clearer picture of an individual’s drug history over time.

Extended Detection Window

In Cissna Park, IL, one significant advantage of hair follicle testing is its extended detection window. This method can detect drug use for up to 90 days, offering a broader view of an individual’s substance habits compared to other tests.

Employers benefit by gaining a thorough understanding of an applicant or employee’s drug history with hair follicle testing, ensuring decisions are made with comprehensive information.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Cissna Park, IL offer a tamper-resistant testing approach. The nature of hair testing significantly reduces the chances of sample adulteration, ensuring the integrity of the results.

This uncompromising reliability makes hair follicle testing ideal for situations requiring unquestionable results, reinforcing trust in the testing outcome.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers nationwide and local testing locations in Cissna Park, IL, providing convenient access for quick and hassle-free testing services. This widespread reach ensures timely and efficient service for all testing needs.

The ease of access to numerous centers allows individuals to seamlessly undergo testing without logistical challenges, facilitating a smoother process overall.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Cissna Park, IL, our hair follicle testing process is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering to results, every step ensures privacy and ease, addressing concerns about data security and process simplicity.

This straightforward approach allows individuals to engage in testing without worries, knowing their information is handled with the utmost confidentiality and care.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Hair follicle testing in Cissna Park, IL is offered at affordable rates, coupled with fast turnaround times. Our pricing structure ensures excellent value, making it accessible for companies irrespective of size.

Employers benefit from competitive pricing while receiving swift results, ensuring budget-friendly solutions without compromising on quality or accuracy.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Cissna Park, IL, hair follicle tests stand out for their fast, precise, and reliable results. Unlike other testing methods, hair tests can accurately detect substance use, setting a high standard for drug testing accuracy.

The efficiency of hair follicle drug tests offers a quick turnaround, providing results swiftly. This speed and reliability make hair testing an invaluable tool in identifying substance use accurately without delay.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Cissna Park, IL, hair follicle testing supports compliance with drug-free workplace policies. Employers can safeguard their operations by minimizing legal risks and enhancing workplace safety through reliable drug testing methods.

This testing approach gives employers peace of mind, ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulations, fostering a safer work environment.

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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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