Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Kirkwood, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a long-term history by encapsulating biomarkers within the fibers of the developing hair strand. When gathered close to the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to approximately 3 months for alcohol and other substances. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 strands of hair (approximately the diameter of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, an optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-on tests, and/or analyses exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is ideal. It is advised to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair can't be collected, an equivalent quantity of body hair might be used. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The core procedures involved in analyzing drug test results in a lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the step where a sample is initially processed into a laboratory’s system. This step ensures that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any extra data entry that an electronic chain of custody system does not cover.

Screening offers an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While it provides a cost-effective means to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Any samples tentatively positive during Screening will require subsequent confirmation.

If a sample appears positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for Extraction. This stage extracts drugs at a much lower concentration from hair compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), contributing to the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation for any positive screening result is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that test presumptively positive are cleansed before confirmation if needed. The entire process from Accessioning through Confirmation is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and conformity with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection period: Hair drug tests can uncover drug use over a span of up to 90 days, while urine tests have a shorter window.
• Resistance to manipulation: Cheating a hair drug test is exceptionally challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Chronological data: It supplies a timeline of substance use, indicating patterns of drug use over time, beyond recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair after around 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier than other types of drug tests.
• Result inconsistencies: Factors like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the level of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the actual examination focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why is hair follicle testing superior to urine testing in Kirkwood, IL? It delivers exceptional detection accuracy and reliability. Hair testing identifies drug use over a more extended period compared to traditional urine tests, providing better results for employers and personnel monitoring.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Kirkwood, IL, is unmatched in detecting drug use over an extended period, up to 90 days. This extended detection window offers employers a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s substance use history, critical for informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Kirkwood, IL, significantly mitigate the risk of sample tampering. Their robust methodology ensures credibility and straightforward results, leading to greater confidence in the testing process and outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With testing centers available nationwide, including in Kirkwood, IL, accessibility to hair follicle testing services is convenient and worry-free, ensuring rapid and straightforward access.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Kirkwood, IL, the process for scheduling, completing, and obtaining hair follicle test results is uncomplicated and confidential. It addresses privacy concerns efficiently while ensuring a straightforward experience for all users.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and expedited turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Kirkwood, IL, provides excellent value for organizations of any scale, fostering assurance and budget-friendly solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Kirkwood, IL, hair follicle testing stands out for its precision, delivering swift and dependable results. Its accuracy in identifying substance use ensures reliable assessments, providing stakeholders with data they can trust.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Kirkwood, IL, gain compliance and tranquility through hair follicle testing, aligning with drug-free workplace mandates. This testing reduces legal risks and enhances safety within the 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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