Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bermuda Run, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a prolonged history of alcohol and drug exposure by embedding biomarkers in the strands as they grow. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use over a period of about three months. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the optimal quantity for analysis and verification. For EtG add-ons and tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler's scale to measure the sample is recommended. If scalp hair isn't an option, a comparable amount of body hair can be gathered. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four critical phases in the lab analysis of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial integration of a sample into a lab’s system. This step involves checking that the sample was sealed and transported correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data input not provided by an electronic chain of custody protocol.

Screening serves as a preliminary assessment for illicit substances. While Screening offers an affordable way to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive result needs confirming for legal admissibility. Any samples indicating potential positive results in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

Should a sample show potential positivity during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or saliva), highlighting the complexity of hair drug testing methodology.

Verifying any positive Screening outcome is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All potentially positive samples undergo cleansing before confirmation if required. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug exams can uncover drug use for up to 90 days, as opposed to urine tests which cover a shorter span.
• High resistance to tampering: It's notably challenging to manipulate a hair drug test, ensuring more precise results.
• Chronological insight: It offers usage patterns over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Lacks recent use detection: Drugs become traceable in hair around 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug examinations cost more than alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Influences like hair hue and individual hair growth differences can alter drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests", these tests assess the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Bermuda Run, NC emerges due to several benefits over traditional urine tests. Hair testing offers superior detection accuracy and consistency. This method detects drug use more reliably, giving it an edge over more conventional testing methods.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Bermuda Run, NC explains how hair follicle testing can detect drug use over an expanded period, up to 90 days. This extended timeframe provides employers with a comprehensive assessment of an applicant's or employee's substance use history, highlighting its utility in the screening process.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Bermuda Run, NC demonstrates the robustness of hair follicle tests in minimizing sample adulteration risks. This method provides reliable and indisputable results, making it a trustworthy choice in drug testing practices.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Bermuda Run, NC emphasize the ease of access to our testing services. With numerous centers nationwide, we guarantee a quick, simple, and hassle-free experience for users requiring drug tests.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Bermuda Run, NC clarifies the straightforward and private nature of ordering, conducting, and obtaining results from hair follicle tests. This transparency ensures user privacy and fosters a smooth testing procedure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Bermuda Run, NC reinforce the competitive nature of our pricing strategies and swift result delivery times. This approach promises excellent value and assurance for businesses, regardless of size.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Bermuda Run, NC highlight the excellence of hair follicle drug tests. Their speed and precision set them apart, ensuring high accuracy in identifying substance use. Users can expect timely and reliable results, which make this testing method both efficient and effective.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Bermuda Run, NC emphasize how hair follicle testing ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies. This method reduces legal risks and boosts workplace safety, ensuring peace of mind for employers.

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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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