Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Deemer, MS

What it is, How it works

Hair examinations are recognized as an effective means for spotting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended timeline of substance use by capturing biomarkers within the hair strand's fibers. By obtaining samples near the scalp, one can determine alcohol and drug use history spanning up to roughly three months. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and simple to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg, which is optimal for both preliminary and confirmatory testing. For EtG, supplemental testing, or panels above ten, 150mg of the sample is suggested. It's advisable to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent amount of body hair may be collected. Head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, while body hair encompasses any other types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

Drug test results are processed in the lab through four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the process of entering a sample into a lab's system. It involves ensuring the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and inputting any extra data absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary check for drug misuse. Although cost-effective for ruling out drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be validated for legal admissibility. Samples showing presumptive positives during Screening require secondary validation.

Should a sample show a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted for further analysis. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations significantly lower than those in other methods such as urine or oral fluid, making hair drug testing particularly challenging to execute.

A confirmed positive from screening is further analyzed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples that test presumptive positive are cleansed before confirmation as needed. This comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation, alongside the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection periods: Hair tests can track drug use for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is exceedingly difficult, ensuring more precise outcomes.
• Tracks usage history: It reveals a timeline of substance usage, not just recent incidents.

Constraints:

• Unable to spot recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair around 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other testing techniques.
• Inconsistent results: Individual differences like hair color and growth rate can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is commonly used, but the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Deemer, MS, hair follicle testing trumps traditional urine tests with its superior detection accuracy. Employers prefer hair testing for its extended detection window and tamper-resistance, making it a more reliable choice against conventional testing.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests offer a significant advantage in Deemer, MS with their 90-day detection window. This extensive period provides employers with an all-encompassing insight into an individual's substance use history, ensuring informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Deemer, MS minimizes the risk of tampering, providing trustworthy results. The method's inherent resistance to sample adulteration ensures that outcomes are credible and beyond dispute, reinforcing testing integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With accessible testing locations nationwide, including in Deemer, MS, Accredited Drug Testing makes getting tested straightforward. Our numerous centers guarantee fast, convenient access to testing services, eliminating unnecessary hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Deemer, MS, our hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential, streamlining compliance with privacy concerns. From ordering to receiving results, the method prioritizes user-friendliness and confidentiality.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Deemer, MS offers competitive pricing with fast turnaround times. Our affordable services provide exceptional value and peace of mind, ensuring businesses of all scales can access reliable testing solutions without breaking the bank.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle tests in Deemer, MS stand out for their rapid and reliable results. These tests not only deliver precision, but also capture substance use with high accuracy. Unlike other methods, hair testing efficiently detects drugs, ensuring swift and exact insights.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Deemer, MS benefit from hair follicle testing, ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This robust method not only mitigates legal risks but also enhances workplace security, giving employers peace of mind.

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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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