Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Parkville, MD

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now considered an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive history of substances by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to roughly three months for both alcohol and drugs. The collection of hair is straightforward, not easily tampered with, and convenient for shipping.

By taking a 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the diameter of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp, you obtain 100mg of hair, ideal for conducting screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or analyses exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. It is suggested to measure the specimen's weight using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, it refers specifically to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other varieties (such as facial or axillary hair).

Process Overview

The process within the laboratory for generating a drug test result encompasses four main steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning starts with the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory's system. This step includes confirming the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry tasks not available from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs a preliminary assessment for potential drug use. While Screening is an economical method to eliminate drug usage for most samples, a positive result in Screening requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Any samples with a presumptively positive result in Screening must undergo a secondary confirmation.

For samples marked as presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug tests one of the most challenging methodologies.

Confirmation for any result that is positive in Screening is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are washed as necessary before confirmation. The full laboratory process, from Accessioning through Confirmation, is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and is aligned with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a reduced detection window.
• Resistance to tampering: It is quite challenging to tamper with a hair drug test, ensuring more reliable results.
• Chronological data: It offers a record of drug use patterns over time, not just current use.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs typically take about 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are usually more costly than other testing techniques.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentrations in hair can be influenced by factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests," these evaluations analyze the hair strand itself rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

The preference for hair follicle testing in Parkville, MD, over traditional urine tests is evident. Hair tests offer a superior detection period and accuracy, capturing drug use over a longer timeframe. Employers benefit from its reliability, especially those with strict drug policies.

• Unlike urine tests, hair testing provides a comprehensive overview, minimizing risks of false negatives due to its longer detection window and observed sample collection.

Extended Detection Window

In Parkville, MD, hair follicle testing provides an extended detection period, capable of identifying drug use up to 90 days. This unmatched ability offers employers a thorough understanding of an individual's substance history.

• The longer window ensures a detailed insight into an employee’s past behavior, supporting informed hiring and compliance decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Parkville, MD, significantly minimizes the risk of adulteration, presenting a tamper-resistant option for drug screening. Sample integrity is maintained due to strict collection processes, ensuring the authenticity of results.

• This robust testing method helps employers and authorities trust the outcome, promoting unbiased and honest reporting.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our testing centers in Parkville, MD, and nationwide, provide convenience to those needing hair follicle drug testing. These easily accessible locations ensure a quick and hassle-free process.

• The vast network of centers means individuals and businesses can find a location nearby swiftly, reducing downtime and increasing testing efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Parkville, MD, our hair follicle drug testing boasts a simple and confidential process. Ordering, collecting, and obtaining results is straightforward and maintains privacy, reassuring concerned individuals.

• The process ensures both confidentiality and ease, preserving user trust and satisfaction throughout the testing procedure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Parkville, MD, benefits from our competitive pricing and swift processing of hair follicle tests. These factors make drug testing both accessible and efficient for companies of all sizes.

• By providing affordable services with rapid results, we deliver outstanding value and reliability to meet various organizational needs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Parkville, MD, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their speed and accuracy. These tests offer fast, precise results, making them a reliable choice for detecting substance use. Due to their detailed detection capabilities, individuals and businesses gain confidence in their outcomes.

• This method mitigates the risk of errors, ensuring results are both dependable and quickly available, an essential factor for time-sensitive testing.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing offers peace of mind to Parkville, MD, employers through reliable drug-free policy compliance. By using this testing method, businesses reduce legal risks and enhance workplace safety.

• Hair testing supports the implementation of stringent zero-tolerance policies, ensuring environments remain safe and compliant.

Drug Testing Near Parkville, MD

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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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