Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Fountain City, IN

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By capturing biomarkers within the strands of growing hair, it provides a long-term record of alcohol and drug use. When taken close to the scalp, hair can offer a detection window of up to around three months for alcohol and other drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the diameter of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or assessments exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be obtained, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be gathered. When discussing head hair, we refer to scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The main steps in laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the preliminary handling of a sample within the laboratory’s system. This process includes checking that the sample is properly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides an initial assessment for drugs of abuse. Though Screening is a cost-efficient approach to exclude drug usage in most tests, a positive result must be confirmed for court admissibility. Samples that are preliminarily positive in Screening necessitate a follow-up confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are separated from hair at substantially lower concentrations than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring why hair drug testing is particularly challenging to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All samples with preliminary positive results are cleaned before confirmation as required. The entire lab process from Accessioning through to Confirmation is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair certification and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug tests can indicate drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection period.
• Cheat-proof: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, ensuring more accurate results.
• Supplies historical usage data: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over a time span, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often pricier than other drug testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence the level of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the test assesses the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing:

In Fountain City, IN, hair follicle drug tests offer distinct advantages over traditional urine tests. Hair testing provides a more extensive detection period, capturing substance use over months rather than days. This methodology ensures greater accuracy and reliability, making it the preferred choice for those seeking impeccable testing standards and unparalleled results.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window:

In Fountain City, IN, hair follicle testing stands out for its impressive detection window, tracing drug use for up to 90 days. This extended time frame grants employers an in-depth understanding of an individual's substance use history, allowing for more informed hiring and monitoring decisions, ensuring a safer and more productive environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method:

In Fountain City, IN, the robustness of hair follicle tests lies in their resistance to tampering. This method substantially reduces the chances of sample adulteration, ensuring reliability and decisiveness in the results. The integrity of the testing process fortifies the trust and fairness in administering drug tests for all parties involved.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations:

Accessible testing sites in Fountain City, IN, and across the nation enhance convenience for individuals and businesses. This network ensures straightforward and hassle-free access to testing services. Whatever the location, quick and easy testing service is guaranteed, offering unparalleled convenience.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process:

In Fountain City, IN, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and private. Ordering, taking, and obtaining results is executed with confidentiality, ensuring peace of mind to participants. The procedure is crafted to be simple and user-friendly, addressing any privacy concerns with paramount attention and care.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround:

Fountain City, IN, boasts competitive pricing for hair follicle testing, ensuring exceptional value for both small businesses and large corporations. The quick turnaround times of results further enhance this value, allowing organizations to perform efficient and cost-effective drug testing reliably without compromising quality.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Fountain City, IN, trust in the precision of hair follicle drug testing to provide accurate results at a swift pace. The test's results are highly reliable in recognizing substance use, enhancing the dependability of the findings. With each analysis conducted meticulously, individuals and organizations can rely on the superior accuracy offered by hair follicle testing to assess drug consumption leaving little room for doubt.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers:

By adopting hair follicle testing in Fountain City, IN, employers ensure adherence to workplace drug-free policies. This proactive approach not only minimizes potential legal challenges but also bolsters workplace safety, granting organizations peace of mind. Employers can focus on nurturing a secure and thriving work 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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