Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bridgeport, MD

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as a robust method for detecting substance and alcohol consumption. By embedding biomarkers within the hair strand fibers, hair provides a prolonged history of alcohol and drug presence. When taken near the scalp, it offers an estimated 3-month timeframe for detection of alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment containing approximately 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil thickness) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the perfect sample size for both screening and confirmation. In cases involving EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equal quantity of body hair may be used. By head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (e.g., facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug testing laboratory process involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step of integrating a sample within a laboratory’s system. This phase includes ensuring the sample’s secure seal and proper shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening represents a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method for excluding drug usage across most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be court-admissible. Samples yielding presumptive positives during Screening necessitate secondary confirmation.

Should a sample yield a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are separated from hair at much lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), establishing hair drug testing as the most intricate approach.

GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS are utilized to confirm any positive screening find. All presumptive positives undergo washing prior to confirmation if required. The entire sequence from Accessioning through Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair certification and ISO / IEC 17025 standard accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests for drugs can identify drug use for up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which offer a more limited detection period.
• Challenge to falsify: A hair drug test is exceedingly difficult to manipulate, ensuring more reliable results.
• Historical substance use profile: It can reveal a drug use pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent consumption: Approximately 5-7 days are needed for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests cost more than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Aspects like hair color and individual hair growth rates can impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite often being termed "hair follicle tests", the examination actually involves the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Choosing hair follicle testing over traditional urine tests in Bridgeport, MD, showcases its superior detection capabilities. Hair testing detects substances much longer, making it harder to bypass. Employers favor hair tests for their extensive detection period and reluctancy to sample tampering, thus providing a dependable assessment of substance history.

• Extensive detection window
• Resistant to tampering

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection period of hair follicle testing in Bridgeport, MD, allows employers to observe drug use history over a prolonged period of up to 90 days. This comprehensive overview of an individual's substance patterns proves invaluable when evaluating potential candidates or monitoring current employees.

• Up to 90 days detection
• Comprehensive substance history

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Bridgeport, MD, is a robust method resistant to tampering, ensuring integrity and dependability in drug testing results. By significantly reducing the likelihood of sample adulteration, hair tests provide unbeatable assurance and reliability.

• Reduced risk of tampering
• Unquestionable results

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient nationwide and local testing centers in Bridgeport, MD, ensure effortless and accelerated access to our services. This network of locations facilitates swift and easy drug testing, avoiding the hassle and streamlining the entire process.

• Nationwide reach
• Localized convenience

Simple, Confidential Process

In Bridgeport, MD, the process of ordering, conducting, and receiving hair follicle test results is designed to be simple and confidential. Emphasizing privacy, the streamlined procedure ensures ease of use while protecting individuals' concerns about confidentiality.

• Confidential process
• Streamlined for ease

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, the hair follicle testing solutions in Bridgeport, MD, promise superior value and peace of mind to businesses of any size. Quick results paired with cost-effective solutions make our services stand out.

• Competitive pricing
• Fast turnaround

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bridgeport, MD, the precision and swiftness of hair follicle tests stand out, ensuring quick and highly accurate results for identifying substance use. Reliable detection paired with fast processing offers an efficient solution for drug screening. Individuals and businesses gain confidence in the accuracy and reliability of hair testing methods.

• High accuracy
• Fast processing
• Reliable detection

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Bridgeport, MD, assures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, offering peace of mind to employers. Minimizing legal risks and enhancing workplace safety, hair testing emerges as a crucial element in corporate compliance strategies.

• Ensures compliance
• Reduces legal risk

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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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