Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mount Chase, ME

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method to detect drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended history of alcohol and other drugs by capturing biomarkers in the fibers of the growing hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a roughly 3-month detection range for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is easy to collect, challenging to adulterate, and simple to ship.

A 1.5-inch sample of about 200 strands of hair (comparable in size to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advised. It is recommended to weigh the specimen on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn’t available, the equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair refers to all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary steps in laboratory processing of a drug test are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This step includes verifying that the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not provided by a digital chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary quick check for substances of abuse. Screening is a cost-effective measure to dismiss drug usage across most samples; however, a positive screen must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Any samples presumptively positive in Screening require secondary confirmation.

If a sample shows presumptive positivity in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration than in other methodologies (such as urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is one of the most challenging methodologies to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is conducted through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation, as necessary. The entire laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, compared to urine tests which offer a shorter detection window.
• Hard to manipulate: It is extremely challenging to falsify a hair drug test, ensuring more accurate results.
• Offers historical insights: Provides a pattern of drug consumption over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent usage: Drugs take approximately 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often pricier than other drug testing methods.
• Variability in results: Elements such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can impact the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test itself examines the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Mount Chase, ME, offers distinct advantages over urine testing. With a broader detection window and greater accuracy, hair tests provide a clearer picture of substance use history. Challenges of cheating or sample tampering are minimized.

Employers seeking dependable drug testing value hair testing's robust results. Unlike urine tests, hair analysis captures long-term usage patterns, offering more comprehensive insights.

Extended Detection Window

Mount Chase, ME, employers benefit from hair follicle tests' extended detection window, capturing up to 90 days of substance use. This provides a broader view of an individual's drug history. Unlike traditional tests, it presents patterns over weeks and months.

This long-term detection offers companies the confidence to make informed hiring decisions, ensuring employee reliability and workplace safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Mount Chase, ME, offer a tamper-resistant method for drug testing. This significantly reduces the risk of sample adulteration compared to urine tests. Ensuring sample integrity, it provides results that are hard to dispute.

These results build trust in the process, reassuring employers and courts of the test's reliability and authenticity. Thus, testing remains uncompromised and definitive.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides widespread access with convenient testing centers nationwide, including Mount Chase, ME. This network ensures quick, hassle-free services. Local availability means prompt scheduling options without delay.

Users benefit from the accessibility of testing facilities, ensuring that testing needs are met efficiently and effectively wherever they are located.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Mount Chase, ME, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential. Ordering, taking, and receiving results involve simple steps, ensuring user privacy. The focus on ease-of-use makes it accessible for all users.

Concerned about discretion? The method guarantees confidentiality, protecting personal data while delivering accurate and timely results securely.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Companies in Mount Chase, ME, find hair testing pricing competitive, coupled with fast turnaround times. This offers significant value and reduces waiting periods for results. Both aspects contribute to peace of mind during the testing process.

The appealing pricing structure supports businesses of all sizes, making reliable drug testing accessible without compromising quality.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Mount Chase, ME, hair follicle tests offer rapid and precise results. Their accuracy surpasses other methods, ensuring reliable detection of substance use. The process is swift, with results quickly delivered, enhancing decision-making efficiency.

The method's high precision aids in identifying various substances, providing critical insights for employers and courts. Swift processing time ensures that results are dependable and prompt.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For Mount Chase, ME, businesses, hair testing ensures compliance with zero-tolerance policies. It minimizes legal risks, promoting peace of mind. With a focus on workplace safety, these tests align with drug-free mandates, supporting a secure environment.

Employers across various industries leverage hair testing for its comprehensive insights, maintaining regulatory standards and reducing potential liability concerns.

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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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