Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Woodbury Heights, NJ

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a lengthy history of substance use by embedding biomarkers in the strands as they grow. When taken from near the scalp, hair reveals up to a three-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. It is easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches with around 200 strands of hair (comparable to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp results in 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional panels, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen weighing 150mg is advised. It is best to weigh the hair using a jeweler’s scale. When scalp hair is not available, an equivalent measure of body hair can be taken. By "head hair," we specifically refer to scalp hair. "Body hair" includes all other types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is the initial step of integrating a sample into a laboratory’s system. This step confirms the proper sealing and shipment of the sample, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any further data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a quick preliminary drug abuse check. While Screening serves as a cost-effective method to dismiss drug usage for most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be valid in court. Any samples that presumptively test positive during Screening require secondary confirmation.

In cases of presumptively positive Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample for Extraction. At this point, drugs are extracted from the hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is among the most challenging methodologies to execute.

Confirmation of any positive result from screening is completed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation, when necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning through Confirmation is vetted under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and complies with the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, whereas urine tests cover a shorter timeframe.
• Difficulty to cheat: Hair tests are challenging to manipulate, which increases the accuracy of results.
• Provides historical data: They can outline a pattern over the months, rather than just current use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair about 5-7 days post-use.
• Cost: Generally, hair tests incur higher costs than other testing methods.
• Variations in results: Factors like hair color and individual growth variance might influence drug metabolite concentrations.

Note: Though frequently called "hair follicle tests", these assessments inspect the strand itself rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Woodbury Heights, NJ, surpasses traditional urine screenings by offering superior accuracy and reliability. Benefits include a broader detection window, uncovering substance use with more consistency. Hair tests minimize the risk of false negatives, providing a clearer view of long-term usage patterns, and establish themselves as a more dependable choice in drug screening methods.

Extended Detection Window

With the ability to reveal drug use over a much longer span, up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Woodbury Heights, NJ, offers employers detailed insights into an individual's substance history. This extended detection window gives a comprehensive view of an applicant or employee's long-term behavior, crucial for making informed decisions in hiring and maintaining workplace safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Woodbury Heights, NJ, hair follicle tests are a tamper-resistant method, significantly mitigating the risk of sample adulteration. This ensures that results are not only reliable but also difficult to contest. By utilizing this robust testing process, stakeholders can have confidence in the integrity of the findings, helping to preserve trust and authenticity in workplace drug screening.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our nationwide testing centers, including local facilities in Woodbury Heights, NJ, provide convenient access to testing services. Ensuring rapid and trouble-free testing, the widespread presence of our centers eliminates hassle for individuals and businesses alike, allowing seamless integration of drug testing into routine activities without the need for extensive planning or travel.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Woodbury Heights, NJ, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and confidential, ensuring privacy and user-friendliness. From ordering the test to sample collection and receiving results, each step is designed with simplicity in mind, addressing privacy concerns while maintaining ease of access and peace of mind throughout the testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and fast turnaround, hair follicle drug testing in Woodbury Heights, NJ, delivers excellent value. Accommodating businesses of all sizes, our cost-effective solutions ensure that prompt and precise results are accessible without financial strain, supporting corporate initiatives with efficiency and affordability.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Woodbury Heights, NJ, hair follicle drug testing stands out for its accurate and rapid results. By detecting a range of substances with high precision, it offers assurance to parties involved. Hair tests quickly analyze samples, maintaining an edge in reliability and accuracy that ensures substance use is effectively identified, making it a preferred choice for those needing conclusive results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle tests in Woodbury Heights, NJ, aid employers in meeting workplace drug-free mandates, enhancing legal compliance and minimizing potential risks. Ensuring an environment of safety and adherence to regulations, these tests provide peace of mind, reinforcing the values of security and accountability important to business operations.

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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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