Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Spring Lake, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has garnered recognition as an effective medium for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair delivers a comprehensive historical record of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers within the hair's growing strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal a substance use pattern spanning up to roughly three months for both alcohol and drugs. The collection of hair is straightforward, relatively resistant to adulteration, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (similar to the girth of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for both initial screening and further confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or those exceeding 10 panels, it is suggested that a 150mg specimen be used. It's advisable to utilize a jeweler’s scale for measuring the specimen. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a comparable quantity of body hair is acceptable. When discussing head hair, reference is made solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types, such as facial or axillary.

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result primarily comprises four stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of the sample into the laboratory's system. This process includes ensuring that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any remaining data entry absent from the electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. Though Screening offers a cost-efficient means to exclude drug presence in most samples, only those samples confirmed after a positive screen hold court admissibility. Each sample that is initially presumed positive requires a subsequent confirmation.

Upon a presumptive positive Screening outcome, additional hair is retrieved from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are isolated from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), rendering hair drug testing notably challenging.

Confirmation of any positive screening finding employs methods such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Samples presumed positive receive a washing prior to confirmation, if necessary. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the lab process is scrutinized both under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug tests can identify drug use over a 90-day span, unlike the shorter detection periods of urine tests.
• Resistant to tampering: Cheating on a hair drug test is remarkably challenging, ensuring more accurate results.
• Chronological data provision: Offers a historic view of drug consumption patterns over time, beyond mere recent use insights.

Limitations:

• Incapable of identifying recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests incur higher costs than alternative testing techniques.
• Inconsistent outcomes: Variables such as hair color and personal hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Often misnamed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis centers on the hair strand instead of the scalp-located hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Spring Lake, NJ

• Hair testing provides a broader window of substance detection compared to urine tests, enhancing reliability.
• The sophistication of hair analysis leads to more precise outcomes, reducing false negatives and positives.
• Hair tests are less susceptible to ad-hoc tampering, ensuring comprehensive evaluations.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Spring Lake, NJ

• Hair follicle tests can detect drug use history for a duration of up to 90 days, offering an extended screening scope.
• Employers acquire a detailed perspective of an individual's substance use over a longer time frame.
• This testing method supports organizations in making well-informed employment and hiring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Spring Lake, NJ

• Hair testing minimizes the likelihood of sample adultery, strengthening test reliability.
• It presents a substantial edge over alternative methods that are more prone to tampering.
• Ensuring integrity in drug testing is crucial for maintaining a trustworthy screening process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Spring Lake, NJ

• Our widespread testing centers guarantee accessible and hassle-free testing in Spring Lake, NJ, and beyond.
• Clients can experience quick and straightforward access to our comprehensive testing services.
• The convenience of local availability simplifies scheduling and expedites the process.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Spring Lake, NJ

• Ordering and receiving hair follicle test results are made straightforward, ensuring confidentiality.
• The process emphasizes ease of use, catering to privacy concerns commonly associated with drug testing.
• Clients can expect a streamlined and discrete experience through our secure channels.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Spring Lake, NJ

• Our competitive pricing strategy offers great value without compromising on service quality.
• Fast turnaround times ensure that companies of all sizes receive results efficiently.
• Providing both affordable rates and rapid processing ensures overall client satisfaction.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Spring Lake, NJ

• Hair follicle drug tests offer a unique combination of speed and precision that is hard to beat.
• The advanced technology used in these tests ensures a high degree of accuracy in identifying substance use.
• Residents and employers in Spring Lake can rely on these tests for dependable results quickly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Spring Lake, NJ

• Adopting hair follicle testing aligns with maintaining drug-free workplaces and compliance with policies.
• It mitigates potential legal threats associated with workplace substance use.
• Enhancing workplace safety is a major advantage, offering peace of mind to all stakeholders.

Drug Testing Near Spring Lake, NJ

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

Ocean Grove, NJ

Allenwood, NJ

Brielle, NJ

Bradley Beach, NJ

Neptune City, NJ

Shark River Hills, NJ

Manasquan, NJ

Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ

Belmar, NJ

Sea Girt, NJ

West Belmar, NJ

Pedricktown, NJ

Lake Como, NJ

Spring Lake Heights, NJ

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews