Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Middlesborough, KY

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol use. Hair offers a long-term history of substance use by capturing biomarkers in the growing hair strands. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to around 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp can yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advisable. It's suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is the initial step of incorporating a sample into the laboratory system. This involves ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data input not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While this is a cost-effective method for eliminating drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for court admissibility. Any samples showing a presumptive positive in Screening must undergo further confirmation.

When a sample tests presumptively positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening results is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positive results are cleansed before confirmation, if necessary. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is performed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and aligned with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can trace drug use for as long as 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, enhancing the accuracy of results.
• Historical usage information: It offers a record of drug use over time, rather thanjust recent use.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent usage: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to be detectable in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests tend to be costlier than other drug testing techniques.
• Variability in results: Factors such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly termed "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 Beats Urine Testing in Middlesborough, KY

• In comparison to traditional urine testing, hair follicle tests offer unmatched detection accuracy and reliability. Middlesborough businesses favor hair testing due to its extensive detection period and resistance to cheating, providing a trustworthy alternative.
• Employers in the area who prioritize strict substance policies rely on this method; it delivers comprehensive results while overcoming urine testing limitations.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Middlesborough, KY

• One of the most compelling aspects of hair follicle testing is its ability to detect drug use up to 90 days. This long window offers employers full visibility into an individual's substance use history, impacting their hiring decisions significantly.
• Employers appreciate the depth of insight this testing provides, ensuring they maintain a safe and substance-free workplace by detecting patterns beyond immediate consumption.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Middlesborough, KY

• Hair follicle tests offer a high level of security by dramatically reducing sample adulteration risks. In Middlesborough, this method ensures results are credible and trustworthy, pivotal for any serious employee screening process.
• Due to the nature of hair testing, attempting to tamper or substitute samples is nearly impossible, providing Middlesborough employers added assurance against falsified results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Middlesborough, KY

• Our extensive network of testing centers across the nation, including Middlesborough, provides the ultimate convenience, allowing hassle-free access to hair follicle testing services with ease.
• Companies in Middlesborough benefit from these widespread locations, ensuring quick testing availability and streamlined processes for drug testing needs without time-consuming travel.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Middlesborough, KY

• The hair testing process in Middlesborough is straightforward yet entirely confidential, addressing privacy concerns while offering ease throughout ordering, sampling, and receiving results.
• This seamlessness ensures individuals' privacy protection is top of mind, making the procedure stress-free for participants while delivering accurate results confidently and discreetly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Middlesborough, KY

• With competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, hair follicle testing in Middlesborough presents value for companies of all sizes, ensuring substance screening is accessible and budget-friendly.
• Employers benefit from efficient results, facilitating timely decisions at cost-effective rates without compromising on quality or speed, catering to varied organizational needs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Middlesborough, KY

• Hair follicle drug tests in Middlesborough are known for their swift and precise outcomes, ensuring accuracy when detecting substance use. This method is invaluable for its efficiency, providing quick results that help employers make informed decisions about candidates and employees.
• The speed of hair testing doesn’t compromise reliability; rather, it highlights the superior accuracy that accompanies every test, making it a preferred choice.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Middlesborough, KY

• Hair follicle testing aids employers in Middlesborough in adhering to workplace drug-free policies, minimizing legal risks while enhancing safety. This method supports compliance and preserves a healthy work environment, offering peace of mind.
• Implementing hair tests ensures the integrity of a company's substance use policy, leveraging its dependable outcomes to safeguard against workplace hazards.

Drug Testing Near Middlesborough, KY

Tejay, KY

Arjay, KY

Trosper, KY

Pearl, KY

Pineville, KY

Wheeler, KY

Pruden-Fonde, KY

Fonde, KY

Colmar, KY

Meldrum, KY

Middlesboro, KY

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews