Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Collins, IA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly regarded as a potent method for identifying substance and alcohol consumption. Hair locks in markers within the strands of the growing hair, offering a long-term history of alcohol and drug usage. If gathered near to the scalp, it can provide a detection range of up to about three months for substances and alcohol. Collecting hair is straightforward, fairly resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion comprising approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the mass of a #2 pencil) from the closest section to the scalp provides 100mg, which is the optimal amount for screening and validation. For EtG, additional markers, and/or tests exceeding ten panels, it's advisable to use 150mg. Assessing the sample with a jeweler’s scale is recommended. If head hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair is suitable. When excluding head hair, it pertains to the scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes any other hair like facial and axillary hair.

Processing Steps

The laboratory work for determining a drug test outcome encompasses four core stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Validation.

Accessioning refers to the preliminary handling of a specimen within a lab’s framework. This procedure involves validating the proper sealing and shipping of the sample, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data input not included within an electronic custody trail.

Screening represents an initial swift check to identify substance misuse. Although Screening efficiently eliminates drug use suspicions in most samples, a positive result must be verified for court admissibility. Any samples that return a potential positive during Screening mandate further Confirmation.

When a sample yields a possible positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the main sample for the Extraction stage. Here, substances are retrieved from hair at significantly reduced concentrations than other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair drug analysis.

For validating any positive Screening outcomes, methods such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS are utilized. Each provisional positive sample undergoes washing before validation if necessary. The whole laboratory sequence from Accessioning to Validation is audited under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair title and is compliant with ISO / IEC 17025 certification.

Merits of hair drug screening:

• Prolonged detection range: Hair screening can track drug intake for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine assessments which offer a shorter range.
• Challenging to evade: Due to the complexity, it's notably harder to manipulate the outcomes of a hair drug test, hence increasing precision.
• Offers usage patterns: It reveals drug consumption trends over durations, beyond just recent use.

Drawbacks:

• Incapable of tracing recent usage: Drugs become noticeable in hair approximately between 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Expense: Hair substance assessments are generally pricier compared to other drug evaluation methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair pigment and individual differences in hair growth could influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite being commonly known as "hair follicle exams", the analysis targets the hair shaft rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Collins, IA, hair testing provides greater detection accuracy than traditional urine tests. Hair follicle testing offers comprehensive results, capturing a wider spectrum of substance use with increased reliability. The enhanced detection period ensures that past usage is evident, providing a better depiction of an individual's substance history compared to the shorter detection window of urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Collins, IA, enables the detection of drug use over an extended timeframe, generally up to 90 days. This elongated detection window allows employers to gauge an applicant or employee's long-term substance habits, granting a broader assessment of their history over simply recent consumption. Such tests help paint a clearer picture of an individual's lifestyle choices and reliability.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The hair follicle testing method in Collins, IA significantly decreases the potential for tampering. Due to the nature of sample collection, which is observed, and the characteristics of hair growth, the results are reliable and difficult to alter. This reduces the risk of doctored samples, resulting in more trustworthy outcomes that both employers and individuals can trust and depend upon.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accessing testing services couldn't be easier with nationwide centers, including convenient localities in Collins, IA. Accredited Drug Testing offers hassle-free access to accurate hair testing, ensuring swift and effortless accommodations for both personal and corporate needs. This nationwide reach guarantees that clients receive the service they need wherever they may be.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Collins, IA, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential. Simplifying how tests are ordered, conducted, and results received, the process respects privacy while being user-friendly. This ensures that individuals can meet their testing requirements with ease and assurance that personal information remains secure and protected.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing paired with rapid results highlights hair follicle testing services in Collins, IA. With fast turnaround times, companies of all sizes benefit from the excellent value offered. These affordable solutions not only cater to budgetary needs but also deliver certainty with prompt and reliable outcomes that support organizational goals.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Collins, IA, hair follicle drug tests offer unmatched precision and speed. With a high rate of accuracy, these tests reliably detect substance use, ensuring fast and dependable results. The testing method identifies a wider range of substances effectively and swiftly, reinforcing confidence in the results provided to both employers and individuals concerned about substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Collins, IA gain peace of mind through the use of hair follicle testing to ensure compliance with drug-free workplace policies. These tests minimize legal risks and contribute to workplace safety by discouraging substance use among employees. By upholding strict standards, hair follicle testing bolsters a safer, more productive 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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