Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cedarville, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol use. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and other drugs by embedding biomarkers in the strands of the growing hair. When gathered near the scalp, hair can offer up to roughly a 3-month detection window for alcohol and drugs. It's easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment composed of approximately 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the optimal sample size for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. If scalp hair is absent, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. "Head hair" refers only to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary phases in processing a drug test result in the lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system. This process verifies that the sample was sealed and transported correctly, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any further data entry not available via an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a rapid preliminary test for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-effective measure to rule out drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Any samples that show a presumptively positive result in Screening require further confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at a significantly lower concentration than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug testing is the most complex method to perform.

Confirmation of any positive Screening result is carried out through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review 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 use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter period.
• Hard to circumvent: It is highly challenging to falsify a hair drug test, leading to more reliable results.
• Shows usage history: It provides an overview of drug use patterns over time, rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be more costly than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Aspects such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite levels found in hair.

Note: Often called "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis is performed on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Cedarville, NJ. Hair assessments offer more authenticity compared to traditional urine screens, offering superior accuracy and dependability. While urine tests are limited to recent drug use, hair tests provide a broader analysis, covering up to three months of consumption history, thus offering a definitive layer of reliability unmatched by urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Cedarville, NJ. Hair follicle drug tests provide an extensive detection range, covering up to 90 days, offering a comprehensive inspection into a person's substance history. This feature allows employers to gain deeper insights into an individual’s potential substance use, creating a fuller profile compared to the shorter detection span of urine tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Cedarville, NJ. Hair follicle tests are notably difficult to manipulate, diminishing risks of sample tampering. The robustness of these evaluations ensures trustworthy results that hold up against scrutiny, greatly enhancing their credibility in environments where unassailable evidence is critical for maintaining integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Cedarville, NJ. Our extensive network of testing centers offers a straightforward approach to hair testing services, ensuring both convenience and availability. This expansive reach benefits individuals and businesses, providing them with quick, accessible solutions to their testing needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Cedarville, NJ. The process from requesting to obtaining results is clear and private, designed with the user's discretion in mind. This streamlined approach assures individuals that their privacy is preserved throughout, alleviating concerns and ensuring a smooth transition through each stage of testing.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Cedarville, NJ. We balance competitive pricing structures with rapid results delivery, ensuring substantial value. Our commitment to cost-effectiveness and timeliness meets the expectations of businesses of varied sizes, ensuring they receive maximum benefits from our services while maintaining budgetary considerations.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Cedarville, NJ. The precision in hair follicle tests ensures rapid and dependable outcomes. These evaluations stand out for their remarkable accuracy, efficiently identifying substance consumption. Their proficiency in detecting even minimal traces offers peace of mind, as results are both timely and trustworthy, supporting informed decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Cedarville, NJ. By adopting hair follicle testing, businesses can effortlessly adhere to drug-free workplace policies. This approach not only mitigates legal risks but enhances safety and compliance. By choosing hair tests, employers safeguard their workplaces, reinforcing their commitment to a secure work environment.

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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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