Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bennetts Mills, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair captures a long-term history of alcohol and other drugs by embedding biomarkers within the strands as hair grows. When extracted near the scalp, hair can show up to a 3-month detection window for alcohol and drugs. Collection of hair is easy, difficult to tamper with, and convenient to send.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hairs (similar in size to a #2 pencil) taken nearest to the scalp will produce 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for challenge and validation. For EtG, auxiliary tests, and/or panels beyond 10, a specimen size of 150mg is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen. If scalp hair is unobtainable, an equal quantity of body hair may be used. When referencing head hair, it specifically pertains to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary steps in the lab analysis of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial entering of a sample into a lab’s system, verifying the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not provided by an electronic custody chain.

Screening comprises an initial quick inspection for drug presence. While Screening is an economical approach to dismiss drug usage in most samples, a positive finding requires confirmation for court admission. Any samples that are initially positive require secondary confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive during Screening, extra hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves removing drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other approaches (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to conduct.

Any positive screening result is confirmed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed prior to confirmation as needed. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have shorter detection periods.
• Difficult to fake: It is exceedingly tough to deceive a hair drug test, ensuring that the results are more reliable.
• Shows historical data: It can display a pattern of drug usage over a period, not solely recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot reveal recent use: It requires about 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be costlier than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Aspects like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the test analyzes the hair strand rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Bennetts Mills, NJ offers numerous advantages over traditional urine tests. While urine tests can identify recent usage, hair tests offer superior detection accuracy over a longer period, up to 90 days. This extended detection window gives a clearer picture of an individual's substance history.

The reliability of hair tests is unmatched. Employers benefit from the comprehensive insights provided by hair analysis, allowing for informed decisions based on accurate substance use histories.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Bennetts Mills, NJ leverage hair follicle testing due to its extended detection window, which spans up to 90 days. This capability offers a thorough review of an individual's substance use history, essential for maintaining a drug-free environment.

Hair tests provide a historical overview of drug use, capturing essential data that urine tests miss. This longer window offers a vantage point crucial for employers aiming to foster a safe and compliant workforce.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Bennetts Mills, NJ, hair follicle testing offers a significantly tamper-resistant drug testing method. The resistance to adulteration provides dependable and unquestionable results, crucial for maintaining integrity in drug testing processes.

The nature of hair testing makes sample adulteration difficult, ensuring factors such as privacy and compliance are consistently upheld. This reliability is essential for employers and courts, who rely on accurate detection.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing boasts convenient nationwide testing centers, including Bennetts Mills, NJ, offering quick, hassle-free access to testing services. The local presence ensures that individuals and businesses can benefit from the ease and expediency associated with our services.

With testing locations readily available, access to essential hair follicle testing is simplified, ensuring individuals need not travel far for reliable and efficient testing solutions.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Bennetts Mills, NJ is simple and confidential. From ordering tests to receiving results, every step prioritizes privacy, ensuring individuals feel secure and comfortable throughout the procedure.

Employers and individuals appreciate the streamlined procedures and confidentiality of results, ensuring both ease of access and discretion, enhancing the overall testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Bennetts Mills, NJ, hair follicle testing offers affordable pricing coupled with fast turnaround times. Companies benefit from the competitive pricing structures that provide exceptional value and dependable results to organizations of all sizes.

The efficient processing times guarantee timely results, allowing employers to make prompt and informed decisions without compromising on quality or cost-effectiveness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bennetts Mills, NJ, hair follicle drug tests provide fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests are known for their high precision in detecting substance use, giving employers confidence in the findings. Hair testing stands out due to its ability to identify drug use over an extended period, distinguishing itself from other methods such as urine tests.

With hair follicle testing, employers and individuals can expect swift turnaround times. The accuracy of these tests ensures that the results are consistent and reliable, providing a dependable option for those seeking definitive answers about substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Bennetts Mills, NJ, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with workplace drug-free policies, offering peace of mind. By using this method, employers mitigate legal risks, enhancing the safety and efficacy of workplace policies.

Reliable testing practices help maintain a drug-free environment, safeguarding both legal standing and workplace safety. Hair tests ensure that policies are met with exactness and confidence, reassuring employers about compliance adherence.

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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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