Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Prescott, KS

What it is, How it works

Utilizing hair testing has emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair fibers encapsulate biomarkers, offering an extended history of alcohol and drug consumption. When strands are taken near the scalp, they can reveal substance use over approximately 3 months. Hair samples are straightforward to collect, hard to tamper with, and can be easily transported.

Collecting a 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 hairs (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp produces 100mg, an optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional screenings, and tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. It is advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler's scale. When scalp hair is unattainable, a comparable amount of body hair can be used. "Head hair" refers solely to scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning comprises the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system. This step ensures the sample was correctly sealed and transported, allocates a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and handles any supplemental data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening serves as an initial rapid assessment for substance abuse. Though cost-effective for excluding drug presence in the majority of cases, a positive screen must undergo confirmation to be legally valid. Samples showing presumptive positive results during Screening require further confirmation.

Should a sample present presumptively positive results in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly reduced concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which accounts for the complexity of hair drug testing.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcomes is performed with GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples considered presumptive positive are cleaned before confirmation. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated in accordance with the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with short detection periods.
• Challenging to falsify: Hair drug tests are difficult to manipulate, ensuring more precise results.
• Offers historical context: They reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not simply recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Cannot detect recent consumption: It generally takes 5-7 days before drugs become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than other testing methodologies.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Important: Despite being commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle tests to traditional urine testing methods, hair testing emerges superior in Prescott, KS. Accurate and reliable, hair tests minimize error margins, boasting an unmatched detection capability over longer periods, making them ideal for comprehensive evaluations, unlike urine tests which offer a shorter detection stripe.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing dramatically extends the detection window for drug use, up to a remarkable 90 days. In Prescott, KS, this robust method provides employers a thorough view of an individual’s substance history, offering significant insights over the long-term behavioral patterns rather than fleeting results produced by shorter-term testing methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Prescott, KS benefits from the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing. This method significantly reduces <% risk of sample adulteration %>, ensuring trustworthy results. It is nearly impossible to cheat, unlike other testing methods, thereby offering unquestionable reliability and guaranteeing integrity in results for employers and authorities alike.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing guarantees convenience with our extensive network of testing centers. From nationwide coverage to local facilities in Prescott, KS, our services are designed for quick, hassle-free access. Whether you're in the heart of the city or further afield, our centers offer seamless resource availability across all locations.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Prescott, KS, we offer a simple and confidential process for hair follicle testing. From ordering to result delivery, the system is designed for ease and privacy, providing peace of mind for all involved. Our approach reassures clients about data security, ensuring smooth and discreet testing experiences.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

At Accredited Drug Testing, we offer competitive pricing in Prescott, KS. Our hair follicle tests not only provide exceptional value but also boast fast turnaround times, making our services cost-effective for businesses of all sizes, ensuring quality results without straining financial resources.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests deliver rapid and precise results in Prescott, KS, blending high accuracy with superior speed. This method excels at detecting substance use, offering not just swift results but exceptionally high precision, ensuring that employers receive accurate data swiftly, empowering timely decision-making in managing workplace safety.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Prescott, KS can achieve compliance with drug-free workplace policies through hair follicle testing. This ensures adherence to safety standards, mitigates potential legal risks, and heightens workplace security. By choosing this method, companies are investing in peace of mind and a secure working 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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