Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Gridley, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is widely recognized as an effective means for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. It retains a prolonged record of drug and alcohol usage by capturing biomarkers within the growing hair strand’s fibers. Collected near the scalp, hair can reveal usage of alcohol and drugs within an approximate 3-month span. The collection process for hair is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and easily transportable.

A 1.5-inch snippet consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (resembling the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp supplies 100mg of hair, an optimal sample size for screening and follow-up confirmation. For conducting EtG, add-ons, and/or evaluations exceeding 10 panels, a suggestion of collecting 150mg of the specimen is made. Employing a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen is advisable. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, a similar quantity of body hair is an alternative. "Head hair" pertains only to scalp hair. "Body hair" encompasses other hair types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test consists of four key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves integrating a sample into a lab’s system. Procedures include confirming the sample’s proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any additional data not initialized by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening represents an initial examination for drugs of abuse. As a cost-efficient measure to eliminate drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for court admissibility. Samples indicating presumptive positivity in Screening necessitate secondary confirmation.

Should a sample be presumptive positive at the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepped for Extraction. In this scene, substances are extracted from hair lower in concentration compared to alternate methodologies (such as urine or oral fluid), explaining why hair drug testing is the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation as dictated. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests have the capability to identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that exhibit a shorter window.
• Resistance to tampering: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Documentation of usage history: It reveals a timeline of drug usage over time, instead of just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot determine recent use: It requires about 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Aspects like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can impact the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: While termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis involves the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Compared to traditional urine tests, hair follicle testing in Gridley, IL, offers remarkable advantages. Its superior detection capability and long detection window beat urine tests, ensuring accurate and dependable outcomes.

Hair tests provide an extended insight into drug use history compared to urine test limitations. This makes hair testing the preferred choice for those seeking comprehensive results.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Gridley, IL, shines with its impressive detection window of up to 90 days. This aspect offers employers a thorough perspective on a candidate's drug use history.

Employers benefit from using hair tests as it significantly extends the monitoring period over more common alternatives, such as urine tests, granting a holistic view of substance activities.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Gridley, IL, significantly reduce the risk of tampering or sample adulteration. The robust procedure ensures precise and uncontestable outcomes.

By choosing hair testing, one can ensure that the risk of manipulation is minimized. This test offers peace of mind with reliable, definite results that resist tampering attempts.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our vast network of testing centers assures convenience, whether located nationwide or right here in Gridley, IL. Access testing services effortlessly with numerous available locations.

Testing accessibility is simplified with both national and local centers, offering stress-free and convenient options for drug testing needs without the hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Gridley, IL, our hair follicle testing services provide a straightforward and private process from ordering to receiving results, addressing privacy and ease of use.

We ensure a seamless experience, respecting confidentiality at each step, making the process not only simple but secure for those taking the test.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With competitive pricing and swift result turnaround, our hair follicle tests in Gridley, IL, present an affordable choice for businesses of any scale.

Our cost-effective solutions, combined with rapid service delivery, offer unparalleled value, catering to diverse corporate needs without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Gridley, IL, hair follicle testing excels with its swift and precise results. This method takes center stage for its unmatched accuracy in tracing substance use, detecting traces swiftly while maintaining reliability.

The efficiency of hair testing surpasses traditional methods, making it a preferred choice for prompt outcomes that do not compromise accuracy. Hair tests guarantee rapid and dependable results, enhancing the efficiency of drug monitoring.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Gridley, IL, hair follicle tests are key for workplace safety compliance, fostering a secure and drug-free environment. This method aids in mitigating legal risks.

Employers gain peace of mind by adopting hair tests to enforce drug-free policies, ensuring safety and compliance, and reducing potential liabilities.

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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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