Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bicknell, IN

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged history of alcohol and drug use by encasing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair shaft. Hair collected near the scalp can offer a detection period of up to roughly three months for substances. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and simple to transport.

Acquiring a sample of 1.5 inches made up of around 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) from the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for both screening and validation. For tests like EtG, advanced screenings, or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is suggested. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is advisable. When scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. By 'head hair', we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory process for processing a drug test outcome includes four principal stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the sample's initial entry into a lab’s system, confirming that the sample was appropriately sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplemental data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary test for substance abuse. Although Screening is a cost-effective approach to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be court-admissible. Any samples that are initially positive in Screening require an additional confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive Screening findings is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that test presumptively positive are washed before confirmation, as necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests with shorter detection periods.
• Hard to falsify: It is very challenging to deceive a hair drug test, which ensures more accurate results.
• Provides historical insight: It can reveal drug use patterns over some time, not just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent usage: It typically takes 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: While frequently labeled as "hair follicle tests", the test actually examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Triumphs Over Urine Testing in Bicknell, IN
Compared to traditional urine tests, hair follicle testing provides superior detection capabilities. The advantages include a broader detection window and higher reliability, offering a more definitive understanding of an individual's drug history. This improvement in accuracy makes hair testing a preferred choice in detecting substance abuse.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window
Hair follicle drug tests in Bicknell, IN, provide a long-term look into an individual's past substance use—up to 90 days. This extended window allows employers to gain a more comprehensive view of potential or current employees' drug usage, ensuring informed hiring and personnel management decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Bicknell, IN
The robustness of hair follicle testing significantly decreases the chance of sample tampering. This methodological strength leads to trustworthy results that are difficult to dispute, safeguarding your testing process against manipulation.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Testing Locations Nationwide and Locally in Bicknell, IN
Our extensive network of testing centers ensures that accessing drug testing services is both convenient and hassle-free. This nationwide reach guarantees that quick and efficient testing is accessible, easing the logistics for businesses and individuals alike.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Bicknell, IN
The procedure for ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle drug test results is streamlined to ensure simplicity and privacy. Clients benefit from a discreet and user-friendly process, addressing privacy concerns and facilitating easy test completions.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Bicknell, IN
Our cost-effective pricing model, paired with rapid turnaround times, offers exceptional value for businesses of various sizes. This ensures peace of mind by delivering prompt results at competitive rates, allowing companies to make timely and informed decisions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Tests in Bicknell, IN
Hair follicle testing offers unparalleled accuracy, detecting drug usage with precision and speed. This ability to quickly ascertain substance abuse makes it an invaluable tool for employers needing prompt results. The credibility and quick processing of hair tests are unrivaled, ensuring that your organization maintains a drug-free environment efficiently.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Bicknell, IN
Employers using hair follicle testing can be assured of maintaining compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method reduces potential legal challenges and enhances workplace safety by reliably identifying drug use among employees.

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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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