Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Ellsworth, MI

What it is, How it works

The process of hair testing has emerged as an effective method for detecting use of drugs and alcohol. The hair strands capture biomarkers during growth, offering a long-term record of substance intake. When the hair is cut close to the scalp, the detection window for substances could extend up to 3 months. Collecting hair is straightforward, tampering is relatively harder, and it can be transported without issues.

A specimen of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp can provide 100mg, which is the desired quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG in addition to tests with over 10 panels, a specimen size of 150mg is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler's scale for weighing the sample is suggested. Should scalp hair not be accessible, a similar volume of body hair can be used. For head hair, we specify scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The principal phases in the laboratory process of a drug test result involve Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a specimen into a laboratory's management system. This includes confirming the secure sealing and shipment of the specimen, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing additional data entry not included in an electronic chain of custody setup.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for substances of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient approach to eliminate drug usage likelihood in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed for court admissibility. Any samples considered positive during Screening require subsequent confirmation.

Should a sample be considered positive at the Screening stage, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. Here, substances are withdrawn from the hair at a lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or saliva), making hair drug tests the most complex to conduct.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcome is carried out utilizing GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Any samples having presumptive positive results are cleaned as needed prior to confirmation. The full laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed following both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug tests possess the ability to identify drug intake for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a more limited detection range.
• Challenging to feign: The difficulty in cheating a hair drug test enhances the reliability of results.
• Yields historical consumption patterns: Offers an account of substance usage over time instead of signifying recent usage only.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: Drugs become traceable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expenses: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs than other forms of drug tests.
• Inconsistent results: Attributes such as hair color and individual growth variations can influence the level of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", in actuality, the test examines the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Ellsworth, MI
Hair testing offers enhanced detection accuracy over urine tests. While urine tests provide a shorter detection window, hair tests can uncover drug use up to 90 days prior. This method ensures robust reliability, ideal for organizations aiming for stringent substance use policies and ensuring a drug-free environment.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Ellsworth, MI
Hair follicle testing is advantageous with its extended detection window of up to 90 days. Employers gain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance use history, allowing for better assessment of an applicant's or employee's habits and ensuring adherence to workplace standards.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Ellsworth, MI
Hair follicle tests are nearly impossible to adulterate, significantly lowering the risk of tampering. This test's observed collection process guarantees the integrity of samples, providing users with results that are both reliable and indisputable.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Ellsworth, MI
With numerous testing centers nationwide, accessing hair follicle tests is quick and convenient. Our Ellsworth location allows for hassle-free service, ensuring individuals and companies can meet their testing needs without delay or difficulty.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Ellsworth, MI
The hair follicle testing process is straightforward and discreet, from ordering to result reception. Individuals can trust that their privacy is prioritized, with a secure and uncomplicated approach to obtaining accurate test results.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Ellsworth, MI
With a competitive pricing strategy and swift processing times, hair follicle testing offers excellent value. Companies of all sizes can benefit from its affordability, ensuring cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality or speed.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Ellsworth, MI
Hair follicle drug tests offer rapid and trustworthy outcomes. The process ensures high precision, making it the preferred choice for detecting substance presence. By extracting a small hair sample, these tests can identify usage patterns swiftly, providing stakeholders with dependable information crucial for decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Ellsworth, MI
Using hair follicle testing assists employers in maintaining drug-free policies. It minimizes legal risks and promotes a safer, more compliant workplace. Employers gain confidence in their workforce's adherence to policies, supported by the test's rigorous and dependable results.

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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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