Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Crete, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol usage. Hair provides an extended history of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers in the hair strand's fibers as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer up to roughly a 90-day detection period for alcohol and other substances. Hair is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches and composed of approximately 200 hair strands (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest weighing the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair can be used. When we mention head hair, we're specifically talking about scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning entails the preliminary processing of a sample within a laboratory’s framework. This incorporates verifying proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary rapid check for abused drugs. While Screening is a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be court-admissible. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive during the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample and set for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed prior to confirmation as needed. The entire laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is overseen under 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 tests can detect drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Challenging to manipulate: It is exceedingly difficult to cheat a hair drug test, thus increasing the accuracy of results.
• Provides historical insight: It can showcase a pattern of drug usage over a time frame, rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: It takes approximately 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Despite being referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is done on the hair strand, not the hair follicle under the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing offers distinct advantages over traditional urine tests in Crete, IL. It boasts superior detection accuracy and reliability, making it a preferred choice for many employers. With an extended detection period and robust testing methods, hair testing unveils substance use more comprehensively, ensuring clarity where urine tests might fall short.

Extended Detection Window

In Crete, IL, hair follicle testing stands out with its extended detection window of up to 90 days. This long span allows employers to gain a significant overview of an individual's substance history, rather than catching just recent use. Such insight can be crucial in making informed hiring and employee management decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Crete, IL, significantly cut down the possibility of sample tampering, delivering trustworthy results. Unlike other testing methods, the potential for adulteration is vastly minimized. This provides employers and officials with the assurance that the results they receive are genuine and accurate.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide testing centers, including local ones in Crete, IL, accessing hair follicle testing becomes a hassle-free experience. Our numerous locations facilitate quick and easy testing, making it simpler for clients anywhere to utilize our services.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Crete, IL, our hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to obtaining results, we prioritize privacy and ease at each stage. Clients receive assurance that their information remains secure, providing a smooth experience from start to finish.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Crete, IL, we offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times for hair follicle testing. This ensures exceptional value for companies of all sizes, allowing them to maintain budget consciousness while enjoying prompt service delivery, providing reassurance and efficiency.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Crete, IL, make them a leading choice for detecting substance use. With high accuracy, they quickly identify drug presence with a reliable approach, ensuring that results are presented faster than traditional methods. This means less waiting time, allowing for prompt decisions based on clear evidence.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Crete, IL, ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, diminishing legal risks and bolstering safety. Employers gain peace of mind knowing that they operate within legal regulations while promoting a secure and productive 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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