Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Green Valley, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains biomarkers in its growing fibers, offering a long-term record of alcohol and drug use. When sampled from near the scalp, hair can reveal alcohol and drug use for up to about three months. It's easy to gather, fairly resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A close-to-scalp 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil) yields 100mg, ideal for testing and confirmation. For EtG, supplemental tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advised. Using a jeweler's scale for weighing the sample is suggested. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. References to head hair pertain only to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of drug test results encompasses four major steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial phase of processing a sample into a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening conducts a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen mandates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples deemed presumptively positive during Screening require further confirmation.

If the Screening phase finds a sample presumptively positive, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug analysis the most challenging to perform.

Confirmation of any positive screen is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presupposed positive samples are adequately washed. Every step from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed following CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can spot drug usage up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Challenging to deceive: Manipulating hair drug tests is very tough, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It reveals a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of spotting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than alternative methods.
• Result variations: Hair color and individual growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the test evaluates the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing drug testing methods in Green Valley, IL, hair follicle tests clearly surpass traditional urine tests. The extended detection timeframe and greater reliability make them a superior choice. Their ability to accurately reflect drug use history provides companies with essential information for maintaining a drug-free workplace.

Extended Detection Window

In Green Valley, IL, hair follicle testing offers an expansive detection window, revealing drug use over up to 90 days. This extended timeframe gives employers a detailed understanding of an individual’s substance history, crucial for assessing applicants or employees accurately.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Green Valley, IL, excel at minimizing tampering risks. The method's design inherently reduces sample adulteration, ensuring results that are both reliable and unquestionable, giving employers peace of mind in their testing processes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our testing facilities in Green Valley, IL, are part of a nationwide network, offering convenience and accessibility. No matter where you are, our locations ensure easy and hassle-free access to the necessary drug testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Green Valley, IL, the hair follicle drug test process is simple and confidential. Ordering, taking the test, and receiving results are streamlined steps that prioritize the user's privacy, ensuring an easy and discreet testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Green Valley, IL, we offer competitively priced hair follicle testing with fast turnaround times. Our service delivery ensures excellent value for businesses of all sizes, providing the necessary reliability without compromising on cost-effectiveness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Green Valley, IL, hair follicle drug tests offer fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests are known for their precision, efficiently identifying substance use over an extended period. With their high accuracy, they serve as a vital tool for employers needing dependable data on substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Green Valley, IL employers find compliance and peace of mind with hair follicle testing. By adhering to drug-free policies, these tests mitigate legal risks and bolster workplace safety. The accuracy and reliability of hair tests make them an essential component of effective HR strategies.

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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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