Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Garden, MI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has gained recognition as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a longer-term record of alcohol and other substances by securing biomarkers within the hairs' growing strand fibers. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer up to nearly a 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. It is straightforward to collect, relatively resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches with approximately 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) proximal to the scalp is required to procure 100mg of hair, optimum for both screening and confirmatory purposes. For EtG, additional testing, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, a sample weighting 150mg is advised. We advocate weighing the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a comparable quantity of body hair may be used. When referencing head hair, we solely mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses any other body hair such as facial, axillary, etc.

Process Overview

The principal steps during lab processing of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial handling of a sample into a lab's system. This process involves verifying that the sample is correctly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing additional data inputs absent from an electronic chain of custody framework.

Screening constitutes a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs of misuse. Although Screening offers an economical solution to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation to be valid in legal scenarios. Samples indicating drug presence in Screening must undergo a confirmatory step.

If a sample indicates drug presence during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial collection to prepare for Extraction. During Extraction, drugs are retrieved from hair at notably reduced concentrations compared to other techniques (e.g., urine, oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug screening.

Any positive screening outcome is confirmed through techniques such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Necessary presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation. The complete laboratory process ranging from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated against CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage spanning up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that possess a lesser detection range.
• Hard to falsify: Hair drug tests are complex to cheat, increasing result reliability.
• Historical insights: They illustrate a usage pattern over time, as opposed to reflecting only recent use.

Limitations:

• Recent use detection: Drugs become traceable in hair roughly 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are mostly pricier than other drug testing methods.
• Result inconsistencies: Variables like hair color and personal hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand, not on the scalp’s hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Garden, MI, hair follicle testing stands out for its superior accuracy compared to traditional urine tests. Hair tests deliver more reliable results, offering an extended detection window that urine tests cannot.

• Greater accuracy
• Longer detection

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Garden, MI provides an extended detection window of up to 90 days. Comprehensive view of substance use history is achieved, offering employers a robust tool for evaluating potential or current employees. By reviewing a more extended usage period, companies gain insights unavailable with shorter-term tests like urine.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Garden, MI, hair follicle testing is nearly impervious to tampering, significantly reducing sample adulteration risks. Reliable results ensure confidence in drug testing outcomes.

• Reduced manipulation risk
• Consistent reliability

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accessible testing locations in Garden, MI, are part of our nationwide network, ensuring seamless service. Convenient access to testing facilities is guaranteed, allowing for quick and effective testing procedures.

• Nationwide centers
• Effortless availability

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in Garden, MI, is straightforward and private, addressing confidentiality concerns. Ease of use is prioritized, with a simple procedure for ordering and receiving results.

• Privacy assured
• Uncomplicated process

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing and rapid turnaround for hair follicle testing in Garden, MI offer excellent value for businesses. Cost-effective solutions combined with quick results ensure peace of mind.

• Affordable rates
• Swift processing

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Garden, MI residents benefit from hair follicle drug tests that are renowned for fast and precise results. Accurate results are achieved through advanced testing methods.

• Speedy analysis
• Precision detection

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Garden, MI can rely on hair follicle testing to uphold drug-free workplace policies, offering peace of mind and compliance assurance. Legal risk reduction coupled with improved safety ensures a secure work environment.

• Compliance assurance
• Enhanced safety

Drug Testing Near Garden, MI

Sheldon, MI

Plymouth Township, MI

Dearborn, MI

Romulus, MI

Plymouth, MI

Allen Park, MI

Canton, MI

Taylor, MI

Redford, MI

Wayne, MI

Westland, MI

Livonia, MI

Dearborn Heights, MI

Inkster, MI

Garden City, MI

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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