Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Stonington, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair traps biomarkers within its growing strands, offering an extended timeline for detecting alcohol and drugs. When samples are taken near the scalp, they can provide insights into substance use over an approximate 3-month span. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable in size to a #2 pencil) taken nearest the scalp can yield 100mg, which is perfect for both screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It's best to weigh the sample with a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. When we mention head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The principal stages in the laboratory processing of a drug test result consist of Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory system. This step ensures the sample is sealed and shipped correctly, a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number) is assigned, and any additional data entry not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system is completed.

Screening represents an initial rapid assessment for abused drugs. While it's an economical approach to eliminate drug use in most samples, a positive screening needs confirmation for legal admissibility. Any samples that return a presumptive positive result in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

When a sample shows presumptive positivity during Screening, more hair is extracted from the original specimen and set aside for Extraction. This stage involves extracting drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug screening is particularly challenging.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation if required. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the complete laboratory protocol is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can track drug consumption for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a more limited detection timeframe.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating on a hair drug test is extremely tough, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Tracks historical usage: It can demonstrate a pattern of substance use over time, not just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: It takes about 5-7 days before drugs become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests come with higher costs compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence the levels of drug metabolites found in hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Stonington, IL, hair follicle tests offer numerous advantages over traditional urine tests. They maintain superior accuracy in detection, providing more reliable identification of substance use compared to conventional methods.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Stonington, IL, extends the detection window up to 90 days, enabling employers to see a more comprehensive substance history of employees or applicants. This long-term view is unmatched by other testing methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The risk of sample tampering is significantly reduced with hair follicle tests in Stonington, IL. This method ensures your results are reliable and unquestionable, providing peace of mind with every test conducted.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our convenient testing locations in Stonington, IL, and nationwide make it easy to access services. We offer a seamless testing experience, providing quick and hassle-free testing across the country.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Stonington, IL, is simple and confidential. Each step, from ordering to testing and receiving results, prioritizes privacy and ease of use for all clients.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our services in Stonington, IL, feature competitive pricing and fast turnaround, making hair follicle testing both an affordable and efficient option for companies of any size seeking quick results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests deliver fast, accurate, and reliable detections in Stonington, IL. This method excels in identifying substance use with high accuracy, ensuring results you can trust.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Stonington, IL, find compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing. It ensures adherence to workplace drug policies, reducing legal risks, while promoting a safer working 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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