Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Diamond, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair captures biomarkers within the growing strand, offering a long-term record of substance intake. When gathered near the scalp, hair can show drug and alcohol presence for a period close to three months. Collection is straightforward, tampering is relatively challenging, and shipment is uncomplicated.

A 1.5-inch segment comprising around 200 hair strands (approximately equivalent to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, considered ideal for testing and verification. For EtG, additional screens, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale is suggested for specimen measurement. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, it strictly implies scalp hair. Body hair denotes any other hair type (such as facial or axillary).

Process Overview

Drug testing in the laboratory encompasses Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning marks the initial integration of a sample into the lab’s system. It involves confirming the proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data entry absent from an electronic custody system.

Screening offers a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While cost-effective for eliminating drug use in most cases, a positive screen needs verification for legal acceptability. Any presumptive positives in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Presumptive positives during Screening require additional hair from the original sample for the Extraction phase. At this stage, drugs are retrieved from hair at a much lower concentration than alternative methods like urine or oral fluid, making hair drug testing notably challenging.

Positive screening confirmations employ GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Samples confirmed as positive are cleansed before final confirmation when needed. The lab process is scrutinized from Accessioning to Confirmation under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify substance use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter timespan.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is quite difficult, ensuring more precise results.
• Retrospective insight: It can outline a pattern of drug use over a duration, unlike reporting only recent use.

Limitations:

• No recent usage detection: Drugs take an estimated 5-7 days to show up in hair samples.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than other testing alternatives.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentration in hair can vary due to hair color and personal hair growth differences.

Note: Although often referred to as "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand, not the follicles beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Diamond, IL, hair follicle testing proves superior to urine tests. The enhanced detection capabilities of hair testing ensure that even past substance use is caught, making it a viable choice for employers seeking accuracy.

Compared to traditional urine tests, the hair follicle method stands out in Diamond, IL, for its unmatched reliability and prolonged detection window, offering a more complete view of one's substance history.

Extended Detection Window

The unparalleled detection window offered by hair follicle tests in Diamond, IL, is a critical asset for employers. Extending up to 90 days, it provides a thorough understanding of any ongoing substance use.

This extended detection period gives employers in Diamond, IL, a holistic perspective on potential hires, ensuring informed decisions based on comprehensive substance use data.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Diamond, IL, the integrity of hair follicle testing is unmatched, significantly minimizing the risk of tampering. By eliminating opportunities for sample adulteration, these tests safeguard accurate and reliable results.

Diamond, IL, employers trust hair follicle tests for their remarkable resistance to tampering. This guarantees transparency and credibility in drug testing, underlining its vital role in workplace policies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our testing center locations throughout Diamond, IL, add a level of convenience for employers and individuals requiring hair follicle testing. Access is straightforward and hassle-free.

Diamond, IL, benefits from our expansive network of locations. These centers ensure quick and efficient testing services, maximizing convenience for all involved in the drug testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Diamond, IL, the process for ordering and conducting hair follicle tests is streamlined and confidential. Privacy concerns are well-addressed, providing an easy and discreet experience.

With a focus on simplicity and confidentiality in Diamond, IL, the process from testing to result delivery remains private, ensuring peace of mind for all parties involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Diamond, IL, competitive pricing models coupled with fast turnaround times distinguish our services, offering excellent value across various company sizes.

Our Diamond, IL, clients appreciate not just the affordability but also the swift processing of results, a combination that promises both quality and satisfaction in drug testing.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and efficiency of hair follicle drug tests in Diamond, IL, are unrivaled. These tests provide not only quick results but also high accuracy in substance detection, indispensable in decision-making processes for employers.

Accuracy drives trust, and hair follicle tests in Diamond, IL, deliver. By providing fast and precise outcomes, these tests set the benchmark for reliability in detecting drug use, ensuring that every employer can act confidently on the results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Diamond, IL, find peace of mind through hair follicle testing, which ensures compliance with their drug-free mandates. By minimizing legal risks and enhancing safety, these tests are indispensable.

The utilization of hair follicle testing in Diamond, IL, underscores employer commitment to compliance, reducing legal entanglements and promoting a healthier 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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