Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Dresden, KS

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means to detect drug and alcohol use. Hair captures a long-term record of substance use by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When sourced near the scalp, hair can provide roughly a 3-month detection period for alcohol and substances. The collection of hair is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section consisting of roughly 200 hairs (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) taken from near the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. It's advised to measure the specimen with a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be inaccessible, a similar quantity of body hair could be collected. When mentioning head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair refers to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result comprises four principal steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into a laboratory's system. This step verifies that the sample is properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any needed data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial rapid evaluation for drugs of abuse. Although screening is a cost-efficient way to rule out drug use in the bulk of samples, a positive result must be confirmed to be court-admissible. Presumptively positive screening samples necessitate further confirmation.

If a screening stage indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), contributing to the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any positive screening results is achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All presumptively positive samples are cleansed before confirmation if required. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is conducted according to both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Prolonged detection period: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter detection period.
• Difficulty in deception: It is highly challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, which enhances the accuracy of results.
• Provides usage history: It can illustrate a pattern of substance use over time, rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: It generally takes 5-7 days for substances to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than alternative drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: While often termed "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Choosing hair follicle testing in Dresden, KS provides distinct advantages over traditional urine tests. Hair testing surpasses urine testing by offering extended detection capabilities and increased reliability. Employers benefit from superior accuracy detecting long-term substance use, ideal for enforcing workplace policies securely, reducing false negatives that often accompany urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Dresden, KS proudly boasts an extended detection window, revealing substance use over the last 90 days. This prolonged timeframe gives employers a thorough view of an individual's substance habits. It assists in understanding trends, potential risk factors, and adherence to company policies, thereby ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of drug history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests offers unquestionable results in Dresden, KS. The risk of sample adulteration, which is common with other testing methods, is significantly reduced. This reliability ensures the integrity of test outcomes, providing peace of mind that the results reflect true substance use, fostering trust in testing processes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our conveniently located testing centers nationwide including local sites in Dresden, KS, make accessing testing services seamless. This nationwide network ensures quick and efficient service availability without logistical hurdles, allowing for hassle-free scheduling and testing, ultimately aiding in timely substance use assessments.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process adopted in Dresden, KS, for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential. From ordering to result reception, every step is designed to uphold privacy and ease of use, addressing any privacy concerns efficiently. Clients can trust that their testing experience will be straightforward, maintaining the confidentiality of all personal data.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With our competitive pricing structures in Dresden, KS, affordable pricing and rapid turnaround times highlight our excellent value to companies of varying sizes. By offering cost-effective solutions and swift results, we ensure businesses do not have to sacrifice quality or waiting time for budget considerations, delivering value-driven services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Dresden, KS, hair follicle drug testing offers fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision of detecting substance use with hair testing is notably high, delivering outcomes that can be trusted. This method ensures quick identification of any substance abuse, addressing the necessity for swift and precise assessments that employers and individuals prioritize in substance testing processes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Dresden, KS, utilizing hair follicle testing ensures compliance with workplace drug-free initiatives, reducing legal risks. This method supports maintaining a safe and productive environment, offering peace of mind that policies are enforced accurately and fairly, safeguarding both the workplace and its employees from potential substance misuse hazards.

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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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