Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Wildwood, IL

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly regarded as a potent means to identify drug and alcohol consumption. By encapsulating biomarkers within its fibers, hair offers a prolonged history of substance use. Near-scalp hair can reveal a detection period of up to about 3 months for alcohol and drugs. The sample collection is straightforward, resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 strands near the scalp (comparable to a #2 pencil) provides 100mg of hair, optimal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional testing, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. We suggest utilizing a jeweler’s scale for accurate measurement. In cases lacking scalp hair, a similar quantity of body hair is acceptable. Head hair specifically pertains to scalp hair. All other types are categorized as body hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in processing a drug test result in the lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial sample processing into the laboratory’s system. This step ensures the sample’s proper sealing and shipment, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary rapid check for substances. While cost-effective for eliminating drug presence in most samples, a positive screen must undergo confirmation for court admissibility. Any samples with presumptive positives during Screening require secondary confirmation.

For a sample marked presumptively positive at Screening, more hair is taken from the initial sample for Extraction. This process extracts drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (ex. urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening notably challenging.

Confirmation of positive screening outcomes employs GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples undergo necessary washing before confirmation. The process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can trace drug usage for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection span.
• Resistance to deception: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, enhancing result trustworthiness.
• Patterns over time: It reveals a usage pattern over time, not just recent intake.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs appear in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more compared to other methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth rates influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Commonly termed "hair follicle tests", they actually analyze the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine tests in Wildwood, IL, the benefits become clear. Hair testing offers superior detection due to its extended window, thereby increasing accuracy and reliability. This method outperforms urine tests in longevity and resistance to tampering, making it a better choice for comprehensive substance monitoring.

Extended Detection Window

One significant advantage of hair follicle testing in Wildwood, IL is its extended detection window, which can trace drug use back up to 90 days. This feature provides employers and individuals with a thorough overview of substance habits, offering deeper insights compared to other testing options.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Wildwood, IL, hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant method for drug screening. Unlike other tests, the chance of adulterating samples is drastically reduced with hair analysis, which means results are more reliable and harder to dispute. This gives stakeholders confidence in the validity of test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient testing locations throughout Wildwood, IL and beyond, accessing drug testing services has never been easier. Our network of nationwide and local centers ensures quick, easy, and hassle-free experiences for all participants, making testing as straightforward and accessible as possible.

Simple, Confidential Process

Ordering and receiving results in Wildwood, IL is a simple and confidential process. From scheduling tests to obtaining outcomes, participants can rely on our systems for privacy and ease. Concerns about discretion are minimized, ensuring that clients feel secure and respected throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing offers affordable pricing and swift processing times in Wildwood, IL, catering to businesses of all sizes. Our competitive rates and efficient services provide great value and assurance, reinforcing the decision to choose us for drug testing needs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Wildwood, IL are unmatched. This testing method guarantees high accuracy in identifying substance use, ensuring rapid and precise results every time. Employers and individuals can trust that hair analysis delivers fast and reliable data, aiding informed decisions.
Accurate and timely testing plays a critical role in maintaining a safe and compliant workplace environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Wildwood, IL can achieve peace of mind knowing that hair follicle testing aligns with workplace drug-free policies. This method not only minimizes legal risks but also enhances the safety of the workplace by ensuring compliance and promoting a substance-free 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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