Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Northville, NY

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a significant tool for recognizing alcohol and drug consumption. Hair offers an extensive history by embedding biomarkers within the strands of hair as it grows. When taken close to the scalp, it can reveal drug and alcohol use within a detection period of up to roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to send for testing.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg, the ideal amount for testing and validation. For tests like EtG, extensions, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, it is advisable to collect 150mg of the sample. Measuring it on a jeweler’s scale is advised. If hair from the scalp is unavailable, a similar quantity of body hair can be gathered. The term head hair specifically points to scalp hair only. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The lab processing of a drug test result encompasses four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the phase where a sample is logged into a lab’s system. It involves confirming the sample’s proper sealing and shipment, allocating a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and conducting any extra data input not done via an electronic custody system.

Screening entails a preliminary quick check for substances of abuse. Screening is economical for ruling out drug use in most samples; however, a positive outcome requires confirmation to hold up legally. Samples with presumed positive results in Screening need further verification.

For samples deemed presumptive positive during Screening, hairs are retrieved from the original sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from the hair at concentrations lower than in other tests (such as urine or saliva), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging techniques to perform.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is appraised under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accrediting standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeline: Hair drug tests identify drug use up to 90 days, while urine tests have a shorter span.
• Difficult to falsify: It’s very challenging to alter hair drug test outcomes, enhancing result authenticity.
• Offers historical insight: It demonstrates drug usage patterns over time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent intake: For drugs to be visible in hair, it requires roughly 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are usually pricier compared to other testing methods.
• Result variation factors: Hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite density in hair.

Note: Often called "hair follicle tests", the procedure analyzes the hair strand instead of the follicle under the skin

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Outperforms Urine Testing in Northville, NY
Hair follicle tests provide clearer detection accuracy and reliability than standard urine tests. These tests help employers gain a deeper insight into substance use, ensuring accurate and consistent results, which is critical for maintaining workplace safety.
Compared to urine tests, hair tests minimize errors and false negatives.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Northville, NY
Hair follicle testing stands out with its extended detection capability, covering up to a 90-day period. This extensive window allows employers to gain insightful perspectives on an individual's substance use history, beyond what traditional urine tests cover, supporting more informed hiring and retention decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Northville, NY
One of the significant advantages of hair follicle testing is its resistance to tampering. The method prevents sample adulteration, ensuring reliable and irrefutable results. This quality makes it a preferred choice for employers seeking credible drug testing methods that safeguard their interests and employee integrity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Centers in Northville, NY
Our extensive network of testing centers nationwide ensures quick, hassle-free access to services at local levels including Northville. This convenience allows individuals and organizations to easily arrange for testing regardless of location, reducing delays and stress in the testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Northville, NY
The process of ordering, conducting, and receiving hair test results is straightforward and discreet. Emphasizing privacy and ease of use, we ensure that clients can navigate through testing procedures without concern, fostering confidence and satisfaction at every step.
Trust in our confidential handling.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Northville, NY
Our competitive pricing structure ensures value for companies of all sizes. Coupled with rapid turnaround times, our services deliver quality and efficiency that's both cost-effective and reassuring for employers. We provide excellent service levels that meet various organizational needs.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Northville, NY
Hair follicle drug tests deliver quick, precise, and reliable results, high in accuracy for detecting drug and alcohol use. The efficiency of the testing process ensures timely responses, supporting effective decision-making for employers and individuals alike, and enhancing trust in the results provided.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Northville, NY
Hair follicle testing assures employers of compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This method minimizes legal risks and enhances safety, offering peace of mind amidst concerns about workplace substance abuse, and supporting a productive corporate environment.
Employers can confidently rely on these tests.

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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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