Hair Follicle Drug Testing - New Concord, KY

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a potent means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures biomarkers within the fibers of its strands, providing a long-term record of substance use. When collected near the scalp, hair offers an approximately 3-month detection period for substances. It is straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A sample that is 1.5 inches long with about 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for screening and confirmation. For EtG additions or tests above 10 panels, 150mg of hair is suggested. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing is advisable. If scalp hair cannot be used, an equivalent amount of body hair may be acquired. Head hair refers specifically to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory process for a drug test result includes the following key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial sample processing into the laboratory’s system. It ensures the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry not handled by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening performs a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. Although it is a cost-effective method to eliminate drug usage for most samples, a positive result needs secondary confirmation to be valid for legal proceedings. Any presumptive positive samples identified during Screening require subsequent verification.

If the Screening stage indicates presumptive positivity, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction stage. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcomes is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation if necessary. The full process from Accessioning to Confirmation is supervised under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation as well as ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify substance use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a shorter detection timeframe.
• Reduced tampering potential: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, ensuring more reliable results.
• Historical pattern detection: It uncovers a timeline of substance use, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Non-detection of recent use: Drugs take around 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs compared to other methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates can impact drug metabolite presence in hair.

Note: Commonly misconceived as "hair follicle tests", this analysis actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In New Concord, KY, hair follicle testing offers significant advantages over traditional urine tests. Longer detection periods make it a more dependable option. Hair testing can reveal drug use up to 90 days prior, unlike urine tests which detect recent use within just a few days.

Hair tests are also more resistant to tampering. The collection process is observed, minimizing the risk of sample adulteration. Employers benefit from increased accuracy and reliability in their testing results.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in New Concord, KY provides an extended detection period, making it invaluable for employers. It captures drug usage history up to 90 days, offering a comprehensive view of an employee's or applicant's habits.

This broader detection window ensures employers have the necessary information to maintain a safe and responsible workplace, providing crucial insight into an individual's long-term substance use patterns.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In New Concord, KY, hair follicle tests are a tamper-resistant solution for accurate drug testing. The collected samples are not easily manipulated, ensuring that results are genuine and reliable.

This method provides companies with confidence in their drug testing outcomes, as it significantly reduces the risk of adulteration, guaranteeing trustworthy and unquestionable results that support informed decision-making.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient testing locations throughout New Concord, KY. Our nationwide network ensures easy access to our services, making the testing process quick and hassle-free.

This accessibility is beneficial for both individuals and companies, offering efficient testing solutions without the need to travel far, thereby saving time and resources while ensuring reliable results.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in New Concord, KY is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, each step ensures privacy for individuals undergoing testing.

The streamlined procedure addresses concerns around ease of use and confidentiality, making it an ideal choice for both individuals and organizations wishing to maintain discretion and trust in the testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our hair follicle testing services in New Concord, KY offer affordable pricing and fast turnaround times. We ensure that companies of all sizes receive excellent value and dependable results.

The competitive pricing structure, coupled with rapid result processing, provides organizations with the peace of mind that they are making cost-effective testing choices without compromising on quality or reliability.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The efficiency of hair follicle drug testing in New Concord, KY is unmatched. These tests provide quick and accurate results, ensuring substances are detected with high precision. Hair follicle tests excel in offering fast turnaround times, supporting decisions with reliable data.

This method stands out for its superior accuracy, capturing evidence of drug use that might be missed by other testing methods. Fast processing and dependable results make it a preferred choice for many organizations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in New Concord, KY offers employers peace of mind. This method helps ensure compliance with drug-free workplace policies, effectively reducing legal risks.

Such testing contributes to a safer work environment, as it accurately identifies long-term drug use. Employers can confidently maintain their zero-tolerance policies, knowing that they are utilizing a reliable and comprehensive drug testing tool.

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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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