Hair Follicle Drug Testing - New Milford, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair examination has emerged as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures and secures biomarkers within the strands, offering extensive historical data on alcohol and drug use. When sourced near the scalp, hair provides an estimated 3-month detection period for these substances. It is easy to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to send.

A hair sample of 1.5 inches length consisting of approximately 200 strands (comparable to a #2 pencil size) taken nearest to the scalp can weigh 100mg, which is the ideal amount for both screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, extras, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. It's suggested to weigh the sample on a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be utilized. In the context of head hair, it refers strictly to scalp hair. Body hair covers all other forms (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning denotes the initial phase where a sample is processed into a lab's system. This step ensures the sample was sealed and transported correctly, allocates a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any additional information entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is economically advantageous for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive result requires validation for legal admissibility. Samples that are provisionally positive after Screening necessitate a further confirmation.

In instances where a sample shows a presumptively positive outcome during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the primary sample for the Extraction phase. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a lower concentration compared to other practices such as urine or oral fluid, making hair drug testing a challenging methodology to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive results from Screening is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Necessary presumptive positive samples are cleansed prior to confirmation. Every phase from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and follows the accreditation concerning ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection span.
• High resistance to tampering: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, ensuring more reliable results.
• Information on usage patterns: It discloses a usage pattern over a timeline, instead of only recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair only after 5-7 days.
• Higher costs: Hair drug tests are typically more costly compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth may influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Even though often termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand itself, excluding the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing is Superior to Urine Testing in New Milford, IL
Hair analysis outperforms urine tests with its extended detection window and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair testing captures drug usage up to 90 days prior, making it advantageous for comprehensive assessments.

This method's efficiency resonates with employers needing stringent showcasing of an individual's drug habits. The accuracy of hair tests means they stand out as a more reliable choice over urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

The Extended Detection Window in New Milford, IL
With the ability to identify drug use up to 90 days prior, hair follicle testing offers employers beyond just a snapshot but a detailed view of an individual's substance history. This extended detection period is invaluable for hiring and managerial decisions.

Using hair samples, employers can ensure they have a complete understanding of a candidate's past with substances, aiding in informed hiring.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Methods in New Milford, IL
Hair follicle tests drastically reduce the chance of sample tampering compared to other methods. The secured process involved in collection and analysis provides results that are trusted and systematic.

Reliability of hair testing is strengthened through its tamper-resistant nature, ensuring that outcomes are accurate and unquestionable, establishing trust with stakeholders, and maintaining integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience of Nationwide Testing Locations in New Milford, IL
Our widespread centers assure easy access and convenience to our testing services. With established centers nationwide, testing is straightforward and hassle-free.

In New Milford, IL, test centers provide quick and reliable services, making drug testing an accessible component of workplace health and safety initiatives.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in New Milford, IL
We offer a streamlined and private process, from ordering to receiving results. This ensures that confidentiality and ease of use remain paramount throughout the testing process.

The seamless integration of privacy into our services allows individuals to engage confidently and discreetly, maintaining trust throughout testing procedures.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Quick Turnaround in New Milford, IL
Offering competitive pricing and prompt results, our services guarantee excellent value for businesses of varying sizes.

With cost-effective solutions and fast processing, hair follicle testing delivers peace of mind, proving an advantageous resource for companies seeking efficient solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Testing in New Milford, IL
The precision and reliability of hair follicle testing stand out as highly accurate in detecting drug use. These tests provide speedy results, ensuring that both individuals and organizations receive trustworthy information swiftly.

A hair follicle test's accuracy is unparalleled, efficiently identifying substances over extended periods. This technique is beneficial for detecting drug use patterns and ensuring informed decisions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in New Milford, IL
Hair follicle testing ensures that businesses comply with drug-free workplace policies, decreasing legal liability and promoting safe environments.

By upholding rigorous testing standards, employers comfortably enforce policies that enhance workplace safety, ensuring both a compliant and secure atmosphere across all levels.

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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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