Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lum, MI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and drug exposure by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer an approximate 3-month look-back period for detecting alcohol and substances. Hair is straightforward to gather, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches and comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) adjacent to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or testing beyond 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is suggested. We advise using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. Our reference to head hair strictly concerns scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step in incorporating a sample into a laboratory's workflow. This step verifies that the sample is appropriately sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary check for substance abuse. While Screening is an economical method to dismiss drug use in most samples, a positive result must be verified to be court-admissible. Any samples that are presumptively positive during Screening need a secondary confirmation.

If Screening yields a presumptive positive result, more hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepared for the Extraction phase. This phase involves separating drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), marking hair drug screening as a challenging procedure.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all presumptive positive samples are washed if necessary. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under the oversight of CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can recognize drug use extending up to 90 days, compared to the shorter time frame of urine tests.
• Resistant to manipulation: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, thus enhancing result accuracy.
• Captures historical patterns: The test reveals drug usage trends over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of recent use detection: It typically takes around 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Higher cost: Hair drug testing is generally pricier compared to other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually examines the hair strand instead of the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, surpasses urine testing primarily through its reliability and accuracy over a more extended period. Where traditional urine tests might fall short, hair tests offer superior detection capabilities, minimizing errors and presenting a trustworthy alternative.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, offers a significant advantage with its extended detection window of up to 90 days. This comprehensive timeline allows employers to gain a detailed view of an individual's historical substance use, assisting in better-informed decisions about hiring and employee monitoring.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The process of hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, is designed to be tamper-resistant, significantly reducing the risk of sample adulteration compared to other methods. This ensures that the results obtained are both reliable and unquestionable, offering confidence in the test's authenticity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With conveniently located nationwide testing centers, including in Lum, MI, accessing drug testing services is swift and hassle-free. This broad network of locations ensures quick and easy service, facilitating a stress-free testing process anywhere in the country.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for initiating hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, is straightforward and private. From ordering the test to collecting samples and receiving results, the entire procedure is designed to be user-friendly, reassuring individuals of their privacy and ease of use throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, is offered at competitive prices with fast turnaround times. These factors combine to provide significant value and peace of mind for businesses of various sizes, ensuring cost-effective solutions and timely results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Lum, MI, hair follicle tests are acknowledged for delivering quick and precise drug test results. They boast high accuracy in detecting the presence of substances over a longer duration, standing out as a highly dependable method of analysis. This speedy and reliable testing ensures substances are detected effectively.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Adopting hair follicle testing in Lum, MI, provides employers with compliance and peace of mind by meeting workplace drug-free policy requirements. This method helps in reducing potential legal risks while promoting a safer working environment for all employees.

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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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