Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Jennings, MD

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has gained recognition as a potent method for identifying usage of drugs and alcohol. Hair retains a comprehensive history of substances by embedding biomarkers within the hair's structure as it grows. When cut close to the scalp, hair can reveal substance use for up to about 90 days. This method is straightforward to collect, difficult to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A section measuring 1.5 inches with roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil size) nearest to the scalp will gather 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for both analysis and confirmation. For expanded panels like EtG or tests over 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. Using a jewel scale is suggested for weighing the sample. If head hair isn't obtainable, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The procedure for analyzing a drug test sample in the laboratory consists of four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary process of integrating a sample into the lab's system. This phase ensures the sample's seal and shipment integrity, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handles any extra data entry beyond what's recorded by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary review for substance abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to dismiss drug use in most samples, any positive preliminary result requires confirmation for it to be legally valid. Samples that test positive in Screening must undergo an additional verification.

In instances of a positive result during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at concentrations notably lower than those in other methods (e.g., urine or saliva), which makes hair drug testing one of the most challenging techniques.

Verification of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS technology. Any preliminary positive samples are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed in accordance with both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter discovery period.
• Hard to deceive: Hair drug testing is difficult to manipulate, resulting in more trustworthy outcomes.
• Offers historical insights: It sheds light on a pattern of substance use over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent use: It requires about 5-7 days for substances to manifest in hair.
• Price: Hair drug testing tends to be more costly than other testing approaches.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the method evaluates the hair strand and not the follicle situated beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Jennings, MD, surpasses traditional urine testing due to its superior detection capabilities and reliability. The detection window of hair tests extends beyond typical periods, offering a robust analysis compared to urine tests, which are limited in scope. This makes hair testing advantageous for thorough drug use assessments.

Extended Detection Window

With a detection period of up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Jennings, MD, equips employers with a more in-depth understanding of an individual's substance use history. This extended window allows for a comprehensive review, benefitting employers in assessing both current and potential employees thoroughly and effectively.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Conducting hair follicle tests mitigates sample adulteration risks in Jennings, MD, ensuring data integrity. By significantly reducing chances of tampering, such tests provide results that can be trusted implicitly, making them an ideal choice where reliability in drug testing is critical for maintaining workplace standards.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Jennings, MD, benefits from the vast network of nationwide testing centers, each offering hassle-free access to hair follicle drug testing services. With numerous local and national locations, participants experience convenience in scheduling and undergoing tests quickly and effortlessly, meeting various testing needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process for hair follicle drug testing in Jennings, MD, is designed for simplicity and confidentiality. From ordering the test to receiving the results, the entire procedure is streamlined to protect personal information while remaining user-friendly, addressing privacy concerns and ensuring peace of mind for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Jennings, MD, competitive pricing and swift turnaround times characterize our hair follicle drug testing services. Providing excellent value, our cost-effective solutions cater to businesses of all sizes, ensuring timely and attentive services that confirm compliance without straining financial resources.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Jennings, MD, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their swift and precise results. These tests ensure high accuracy, providing reliable detection of substance use and aiding decision-making processes for employers and other authorities. With state-of-the-art methodologies, the testing process ensures quick results that maintain the integrity of evaluations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Jennings, MD, gain peace of mind through the adoption of hair follicle testing, securing compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This proactive measure not only heightens legal assurance but also bolsters overall safety and productivity within the workplace by deterring substance use visibly.

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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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