Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Port Washington, NY

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair strands. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer approximately a 3-month detection period for alcohol and other drugs. Hair samples are easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to send.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches of about 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, an optimal amount for analysis and verification. For EtG, extra tests, or tests beyond 10 panels, it is advised to have 150mg of the sample. It is suggested to use a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If scalp hair is not available, a similar quantity of body hair may be gathered. When discussing head hair, it refers solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug test result laboratory processing consists of four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample into a lab’s system. This involves ensuring the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening includes a preliminary rapid test for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical method to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screen requires verification to be valid in court. Any samples that are presumptively positive in Screening need a secondary verification.

If a sample shows presumptive positivity during the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most complex method to execute.

Verification of any positive screening result is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positivity are cleansed prior to verification as necessary. The full laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a more limited detection period.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, leading to more reliable results.
• Offers historical insight: It can provide a timeline of drug use, rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of identifying recent use: Drugs typically take about 5-7 days to be detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically more costly than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Port Washington, NY, hair follicle testing emerges as a superior choice compared to urine screenings.
With impressive detection accuracy and dependability, hair tests have become a preferred choice for employers enforcing pristine workplace ethics. Hair analysis delivers robust, tamper-proof results that outshine traditional baseline urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

For a holistic evaluation of an individual's substance use history, hair follicle evaluations in Port Washington, NY, stand unparalleled. Spanning detection periods up to an extensive 90 days, these tests empower employers with insights into an employee’s past usage, delivering a deeper understanding than shorter-span biometric alternatives.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Opting for hair follicle tests in Port Washington, NY, greatly diminishes the potential for sample tampering. These tests ensure integrity by minimizing the risk of adulteration, offering confidence in the authenticity of results. Unlike some other testing methods, hair testing's resistance to manipulation ensures the credibility of the information obtained.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With a vast network of testing centers, both nationwide and locally, in Port Washington, NY, our hair follicle testing services offer unmatched convenience. Streamlined access ensures that clients receive swift, hassle-free testing at a location that suits them, ensuring quick results and optimal satisfaction.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simplicity and discretion are at the core of our testing process in Port Washington, NY. From ordering to receiving results, the entire procedure remains straightforward. Addressing privacy concerns, we ensure a confidential experience, underscoring our commitment to a seamless and protected service.
Our process guarantees peace of mind.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Port Washington, NY, our hair follicle testing is not only efficient but also economically viable. Affordably priced, combined with swift result turnaround, this service guarantees excellent value for businesses of all sizes, ensuring effective and prompt drug testing without straining budgets.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The hair follicle drug tests in Port Washington, NY, garner acclaim for their precision and rapidity. Accurate detection of intoxicants is pivotal, and hair analysis convincingly achieves this goal, maintaining a high standard of reliability in assessment results.
Whereas typical methods might falter, our tests ensure timely and accurate evaluation of any substance use, mitigating doubts and providing decisive answers.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies in Port Washington, NY, is simplified through hair follicle testing. Reducing legal jeopardies, this method fosters a secure work environment, enhancing safety while providing peace of mind for employers who prioritize a responsible and alert workforce.

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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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