Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mills, NE

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as a potent resource for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands serve as a long-term record of alcohol and drug use by trapping biomarkers within their fibers as they grow. When gathered near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection period of up to approximately three months for such substances. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient for transportation.

A hair sample measuring 1.5 inches, consisting of roughly 200 strands (equivalent to the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, will provide 100mg of hair, the optimal quantity for both screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, additional services, and/or testing above 10 panels, a specimen size of 150mg is advisable. We suggest determining the specimen's weight using a jeweler's scale. In cases where scalp hair isn't available, an equal volume of body hair may be utilized. When we mention head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other varieties (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processes a drug test through four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encapsulates the preliminary integration of a sample into a lab's system. This phase involves confirming that the sample was adequately sealed and transported, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data input absent from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary evaluation for drugs of abuse. While cost-effective for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive screening outcome necessitates confirmation for legal acceptance. Samples with presumptive positives in Screening require secondary confirmation.

Should a sample show a presumptive positive at the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. In this step, drugs are withdrawn from hair at a significantly reduced concentration when compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive specimens are washed before Confirmation if necessary. The holistic lab procedure, encompassing Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes evaluation under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: It is extremely challenging to deceive a hair drug test, ensuring more genuine results.
• Delivers historical insights: It can showcase a pattern of drug use over time, not solely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Unable to detect recent consumption: It generally takes 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than alternative drug testing methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the testing evaluates the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Mills, NE: Hair testing provides superior detection accuracy over traditional urine tests. With a much longer detection window and the inability to easily tamper with samples, hair tests offer a more reliable assessment of long-term drug use. Employers and legal entities find this method especially beneficial for maintaining a safe and compliant environment.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Mills, NE: Hair follicle testing allows for the detection of drug use over an extended period, providing a comprehensive view of an individual's substance use history. Employers benefit from this method, as it can track usage for up to 90 days. The extended window surpasses the limitations of other testing forms, giving a more informed perspective on employee behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Mills, NE: Hair follicle drug tests offer a tamper-resistant method of substance detection. The collection process is highly secure and significantly reduces the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring results that are both reliable and unquestionable. This feature is crucial for employers and agencies requiring dependable testing outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Mills, NE: Our network of nationwide testing centers guarantees quick and hassle-free testing services. Access to local facilities in Mills, NE, ensures that individuals and companies can easily meet their testing needs, streamlining the entire process and making it immensely convenient.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Mills, NE: The process of ordering, taking, and receiving results from hair follicle tests is designed to be simple and confidential. We prioritize the privacy and ease of use, ensuring that all clients feel secure when undergoing testing, making the experience as stress-free as possible.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Mills, NE: Competitive pricing structures combined with quick turnaround times offer excellent value for companies of all sizes. Our hair follicle testing services provide cost-effective solutions without sacrificing quality or accuracy, ensuring customer satisfaction and peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Mills, NE: Hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their precision and speed. These tests offer high accuracy in identifying substance use, making them an essential tool for employers and individuals seeking reliable outcomes. The quick processing time ensures prompt results, supporting timely decision-making in various contexts.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Mills, NE: Utilizing hair follicle testing aids in ensuring compliance with workplace drug-free policies. By reducing legal risks and enhancing safety, this method provides employers peace of mind. The assurance of maintaining a drug-free workplace is invaluable in supporting an organization's productivity and reputation.

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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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