Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Westervelt, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of alcohol and drug activities by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands of hair as it grows. When sampled nearest the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to falsify, and easy to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches from around 200 hair strands (roughly the diameter of a #2 pencil) from the scalp will supply 100mg, which is the optimal sample size for both screening and confirmation. For tests involving EtG, additional panels, or those exceeding 10 panels, it is advised to collect 150mg of hair. It's recommended to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. References to head hair solely mean scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The process for laboratory analysis of a drug test comprises Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial processing of a sample within a lab's system. This phase includes ensuring the sample was properly sealed and transported, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and executing any remaining data entry not offered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers a rapid preliminary evaluation for drugs of abuse. While Screening provides a cost-efficient method to rule out drug use for most samples, a positive result in screening must be confirmed for court admissibility. Samples that come out presumptively positive in Screening require additional confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive during the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample to prepare for Extraction. In Extraction, drugs are separated from hair at a significantly lower concentration than in alternative approaches (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug analysis the most challenging methodology to execute.

GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS are used to confirm any positive screening outcomes. Presumptive positive samples are cleansed as deemed necessary prior to confirmation. The comprehensive process from Accessioning to Confirmation is subjected to review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair category and the adherence to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine testing offers a shorter detection period.
• Difficult to bypass: Attempting to falsify results with a hair drug test is highly challenging, increasing accuracy.
• Shows usage history: Hair testing can outline a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent usage: Typically, it takes 5-7 days for drugs to be identified in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be costlier than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests," the actual test analyzes the hair strand, not the follicle under the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Westervelt, IL significantly outperforms traditional urine testing. Unlike urine tests, hair testing covers an extended detection period, typically up to 90 days, offering employers profound insights into an individual's substance use history. This method also ensures higher accuracy and reliability, crucial for maintaining a drug-free workplace.

Extended Detection Window

The hair follicle testing method provides a considerable detection window, able to trace drug use up to 90 days prior. This advantage allows employers in Westervelt, IL to gain a comprehensive understanding of an applicant's or employee's substance history, ensuring a drug-free workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Westervelt, IL, hair follicle testing is a tamper-resistant method, significantly lowering the risk of sample adulteration. This testing method ensures that the results are reliable and unquestionable, making it an ideal choice for those seeking accuracy and dependability in drug screening.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient testing locations nationwide and locally in Westervelt, IL, accessing hair follicle testing services is effortless. Our testing centers ensure the process is quick and hassle-free, providing easy accessibility to all seeking reliable testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Westervelt, IL is simple and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, the focus remains on privacy and ease, alleviating any concerns about confidentiality or process complexity.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Providing competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, our hair follicle testing services in Westervelt, IL offer exceptional value. Companies of all sizes benefit from affordable solutions that deliver peace of mind through fast, reliable results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Westervelt, IL, hair follicle tests are renowned for their precision and speed. They stand as a reliable method for detecting substances, delivering results that are both fast and highly accurate. The technology employed in hair testing enhances its reliability, making it a premier choice for detecting drug use robustly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Westervelt, IL, utilizing hair follicle testing guarantees adherence to drug-free workplace policies. By doing so, businesses not only reduce legal risks but also enhance workplace safety, ensuring peace of mind for all involved.

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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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