Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Jacobsville, MD

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has become recognized as a robust instrument for detecting substance and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a long-term recorder of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When sourced near the scalp, hair can provide a detection period of up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, relatively challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch strand sample consisting of around 200 hairs (approx. the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair—a perfect sample for testing and verification. For EtG, add-ons, and/or evaluations beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair cannot be accessed, an equivalent amount of body hair is acceptable. When mentioning head hair, only scalp hair is considered. Body hair incorporates other hair forms (facial, armpit, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for deriving a drug test result consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial incorporation of a sample into a lab’s system. This process verifies that the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigns it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers an initial rapid assessment for substance abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient approach to negate drug usage in most samples, a positive Screening must be validated for court admissibility. Any presumptively positive samples require additional confirmation.

Should a sample yield a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, more hair is pulled from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a notably lower concentration than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), illustrating why hair drug screening is the most complex method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed if necessary before confirmation. The overall lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 norms.

Benefits of hair drug analysis:

• Prolonged detection period: Hair drug tests can uncover drug consumption for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a brief detection window.
• Hard to falsify: It is exceedingly difficult to deceive a hair drug test, enhancing result accuracy.
• Delivers historical insights: It offers a timeline of drug consumption over a duration, not solely recent intake.

Drawbacks:

• Incapable of identifying recent intake: Drugs need approximately 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug examinations typically cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair pigmentation and individual hair growth variations can influence the drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests," the test actually inspects the hair strand, not the follicle under the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Jacobsville's hair follicle testing triumphs over traditional urine analysis by offering superior detection capabilities and precision. The longevity of detection for drugs surpasses that of urine tests, which is crucial for comprehensive assessments.

While urine tests often focus on recent substance use, hair analysis provides a broader window into historical usage. This expanded timeline ensures a robust understanding of an individual's substance history.

Extended Detection Window

In Jacobsville, MD, hair follicle testing extends the detection of drug use to a 90-day period, presenting employers with a deeper insight into substance use histories.

This method empowers businesses with a comprehensive perspective on potential hires or current employees, ensuring informed decision-making based on an extensive data range available through hair analysis.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Jacobsville offer a tamper-resistant method for drug analysis, minimizing risks of sample manipulation and ensuring credible results.

The collection process, meticulously observed, fortifies the integrity of each test, reducing adulteration risks. This reliability reassures businesses and individuals about the authenticity of their results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers convenient hair follicle testing locations nationwide, alongside local options in Jacobsville, MD, enabling effortless, hassle-free testing access.

Our broad network ensures that individuals and employers can quickly find nearby centers, promoting swift and efficient drug testing services wherever they're needed.

Simple, Confidential Process

Experience a straightforward and secure drug testing process in Jacobsville, MD. From ordering to testing and obtaining results, confidentiality remains paramount.

Our process addresses privacy concerns, ensuring users can engage in hair follicle testing seamlessly while preserving personal and sensitive information throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Jacobsville, MD, our hair follicle drug testing offers competitive pricing structures and rapid result turnover, balancing affordability with quality testing.

This cost-effective solution provides excellent value for businesses, regardless of size, ensuring they maintain compliant and safe environments without financial strain.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Jacobsville, MD, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their speed and precision. These tests offer high accuracy in identifying substance use, making them an essential tool for ensuring a safe and compliant environment.

With quick turnaround times, hair follicle tests detect a range of substances swiftly, providing dependable results. Clients and employers in Jacobsville can trust the reliability of this method for safeguarding their interests.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle tests in Jacobsville, MD ensures employers uphold drug-free workplace standards, fostering compliance and reducing potential legal challenges.

Employing this robust testing method reinforces a company's commitment to safety, enhancing peace of mind and contributing to a healthier workplace 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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