Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bendon, MI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now acknowledged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of substance use by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strand. When sampled near the scalp, hair can reveal up to roughly a 3-month timeframe for detecting alcohol and other drugs. Hair is straightforward to gather, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (around the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the ideal sample for analysis and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advised. It is recommended to assess the specimen's weight on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be collected, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. When we mention head hair, we refer specifically to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result includes four key phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial handling of a specimen within a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample was appropriately sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any supplementary data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs a preliminary examination for substances of abuse. Though Screening offers an economical means to exclude drug use for most samples, a positive result requires validation to be permissible in legal contexts. Samples that show presumptive positivity in Screening necessitate a subsequent confirmation.

When a specimen appears presumptively positive in the Screening stage, further hair is taken from the initial collection and prepared for Extraction. Here, substances are extracted from hair at much diminished concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging method to execute.

Positive screening results are confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positivity are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed according to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can trace drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Hair drug tests are resistant to tampering, enhancing result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It can display a user's substance use pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Unable to show recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier than other drug testing methods.
• Result inconsistency: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth variations can impact the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Often referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis concerns the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why opt for hair follicle over traditional urine tests in Bendon, MI? The answer lies in superior detection accuracy and consistency. Unlike urine tests, hair testing offers a reliable reading across a broader detection window. The process yields results that are more challenging to alter or dilute, offering true insight into an individual’s substance history.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Bendon, MI, offers a remarkable detection window, tracing drug use up to 90 days. This expansive timeframe gives employers a thorough understanding of an individual's engagement with substances, far exceeding the capabilities of traditional tests. It enables informed decision-making, fostering safer work environments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

One of the greatest advantages of hair follicle testing in Bendon, MI, is its tamper-resistant nature. This method drastically minimizes the possibility of sample adulteration. By ensuring the integrity of the sample, the results stand unquestioned, maintaining the highest standard of reliability in drug testing.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing facilitates drug screening across the nation and locally in Bendon, MI, highlighting convenience for all. With widespread testing centers, accessing our services is straightforward, minimizing hassle and ensuring timely attainment of test results across any location in the country.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our testing process in Bendon, MI, prides itself on simplicity and confidentiality. From ordering to receiving results, privacy concerns are thoroughly addressed, guaranteeing a safe experience. Clients can effortlessly engage in the process, all while having complete assurance of discretion and ease of use.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing in Bendon, MI, ensuring cost-effective solutions without compromising quality. Coupled with our fast turnaround times, we provide exceptional value, catering to businesses of any size, enhancing their operations without strain on resources.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bendon, MI, hair follicle drug tests are celebrated for their speed and precision. The process swiftly delivers accurate results, swiftly identifying substance use. For employers and substance abuse professionals, this method provides a high level of confidence in the test outcomes, ensuring no detail is overlooked in the analysis.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Bendon, MI, hair follicle testing is a cornerstone for workplace policy compliance. Its thorough approach reduces legal risks and enhances organizational safety. Employers gain peace of mind, knowing the methods in place are stringent and effective, safeguarding their workforce and business operations alike.

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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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