Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Loch Arbour, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers a prolonged historical record by encapsulating biomarkers within the hair shaft. Sampling hair near the scalp can offer insights into drug and alcohol use for a window of up to 3 months. Hair is straightforward to gather, not easily tampered with, and convenient for transportation.

A segment measuring 1.5 inches composed of roughly 200 hair strands (akin to the thickness of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the preferred amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample size of 150mg is advisable. It is suggested to utilize a jeweler's scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair is inaccessible, an equivalent mass of body hair is acceptable. By head hair, we specifically refer to scalp hair; body hair pertains to any other hair types (face, armpits, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug testing workflow in the laboratory includes Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails linking the sample with the laboratory's database. This step includes checking the sample's secure shipment, generating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any additional data absent from an electronic custody chain.

Screening serves as a preliminary evaluation for the presence of drugs. Although cost-efficient for verifying drug absence in most samples, a positive screening must be validated to be used in legal settings. Any screening results that are presumptively positive require a subsequent confirmation.

Should a sample test positive during Screening, extra hair is extracted from the original batch and prepared for the Extraction stage. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to alternative methods (such as urine or saliva), posing challenges in hair drug testing procedures.

Positive screening outcomes undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS technologies. Presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation as required. The comprehensive laboratory operation from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to scrutiny under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards alongside ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair testing can identify drug consumption for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter timeline.
• Challenging to manipulate: Hair drug tests are hard to evade, ensuring result accuracy.
• Reveals past usage: Offers insight into drug use patterns over time, rather than just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent drug use: It generally takes 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair testing tends to be pricier than other testing methodologies.
• Result variability: Aspects like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations.

Note: Often termed as "hair follicle tests", these tests focus on the hair shaft itself and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Testing Outmatches Urine Tests?
In Loch Arbour, NJ, hair follicle tests present a superior alternative to urine tests. Their increased detection accuracy and reliability make them a preferred choice.

Hair follicle tests surpass traditional methods in tracing long-term substance usage, offering extensive insights into an individual's history.

Extended Detection Window

In Loch Arbour, NJ, hair follicle testing captures drug use over extended periods, up to 90 days. This provides employers with a comprehensive view of an applicant or employee's substance history.

The advantage of a prolonged detection window is unparalleled, delivering critical insights into potential substance usage.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Loch Arbour, NJ, hair follicle tests are robust against tampering. The method significantly reduces the likelihood of sample adulteration, ensuring reliable results.

Employers benefit from the tamper-resistant nature of hair tests, gaining confidence in their accuracy and integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Loch Arbour, NJ, accessing our testing services is simple and convenient thanks to our network of nationwide testing centers. From coast to coast, we ensure expedient and straightforward testing access.

Quick, hassle-free service is our priority, making the testing experience seamless for everyone.

Simple, Confidential Process

For Loch Arbour, NJ, residents, our testing process is straightforward and confidential, addressing privacy concerns while ensuring ease of use.

The simplified process of ordering, testing, and result retrieval prioritizes user experience, making it stress-free to navigate.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Loch Arbour, NJ, companies benefit from our competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, securing excellent value and confidence across businesses of all sizes.

Affordability coupled with prompt results reinforces the appeal of our services, promoting peace of mind across the board.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Loch Arbour, NJ, the precision and expedience of hair follicle drug tests shine. These tests are renowned for their exceptional accuracy in detecting substance use, ensuring reliable results.

Employers favor hair tests due to their swiftness and accuracy, offering a dependable means to monitor workplace safety and compliance.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Loch Arbour, NJ, find peace of mind through hair follicle testing. It helps ensure compliance with workplace drug-free policies, mitigating legal risks and boosting safety.

The method fosters a secure working environment, aligning with company policies and legal standards.

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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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