Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bethlehem, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective means of identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By capturing biomarkers within the fibers of hair as it grows, hair can reveal a prolonged history of substance use. Collecting hair near the scalp can offer detection of drugs and alcohol for up to around three months. Hair collection is straightforward, resistive to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) near the scalp yields 100mg, which is the perfect sample mass for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional testing, and/or testing exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advisable. It's advised to measure the hair sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn’t accessible, an equivalent amount of body hair can be retrieved. References to head hair are vis-a-vis scalp hair solely, while body hair encompasses other types such as facial or axillary hair.

Process Overview

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

Accessioning marks the commencement of processing a sample into a lab’s system. This step validates that the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizes any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody mechanism.

Screening offers a preliminary analysis for drugs of abuse. While it's a cost-efficient method to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive screening result necessitates confirmation to hold up in legal contexts. Any samples with a positive indication at Screening require further confirmation.

Should a sample indicate a presumptive positive at the Screening step, additional hair from the original specimen is extracted and prepared for further analysis. In this phase, drugs are isolated from the hair at reduced concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the intricacy of hair drug screening.

Any positive Screening outcomes undergo Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any presumptive positive samples are cleansed prior to necessary confirmation. The full lab process transcends from Accessioning to Confirmation and complies with both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug evaluations can reveal drug use spanning up to 90 days, surpassing urine tests which offer a briefer detection timeframe.
• Difficult to manipulate: The difficulty of falsifying a hair drug test ensures outcomes are highly reliable.
• Tracks historical usage: Provides a drug usage pattern over time rather than only capturing recent intake.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent intake: Drugs become detectable in hair only after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug assessments tend to be pricier compared to some other testing approaches.
• Result variations: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite levels within hair.

Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the testing examines the hair strand itself instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Bethlehem, NC, offers distinct benefits over traditional urine tests. The superior detection accuracy of hair testing ensures more reliable results, reducing the potential for test evasion.

Urine tests, while standard, often fail to match the comprehensive detection capabilities of hair tests. Employers in Bethlehem rely on hair testing for its unmatched precision and extensive detection period.

Extended Detection Window

One of the key advantages of hair follicle testing in Bethlehem, NC, is its extended detection window. It can identify drug use up to 90 days prior, offering employers a broader view of an individual’s substance use history.

This long-term detection capability allows companies in Bethlehem to make informed decisions based on a comprehensive analysis of an applicant's or employee's substance habits.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Bethlehem, NC, significantly reduces the chance of test tampering. Unlike other methods, hair tests are nearly tamper-proof, providing highly reliable results.

This stringent testing method assures businesses in Bethlehem of the integrity of their drug screening process, upholding the authenticity of the findings.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide testing centers and local facilities in Bethlehem, NC, accessing hair follicle testing services is quick and hassle-free. Our wide-reaching network ensures ease of service for all clients.

Individuals and businesses in Bethlehem benefit from the accessibility and convenience of our testing locations, making the testing process seamless and straightforward.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in Bethlehem, NC, is designed to be simple and confidential. Clients can easily order, take, and receive their results while maintaining privacy.

This straightforward process ensures that individuals and businesses in Bethlehem experience ease of use and discretion throughout their testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Bethlehem, NC, our hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and quick turnaround times. This ensures that companies of all sizes receive exceptional value and timely results.

Our affordable pricing structure makes quality drug testing services accessible, providing Bethlehem businesses with confidence in their investment.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bethlehem, NC, hair follicle drug tests are remarkably quick and precise in identifying substance use. This high level of accuracy is crucial for dependable results, ensuring that tests detect drug usage with minimal errors.

The reliability of hair testing in delivering fast results cannot be overstated. Companies in Bethlehem benefit from this efficiency, facilitating timely decision-making and maintaining workforce integrity.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Bethlehem, NC, enables employers to comply with drug-free workplace policies. This method reduces legal risks and promotes a safe working environment.

Employers in Bethlehem gain peace of mind from hair testing’s ability to enforce compliance, ensuring a safer and healthier workplace for all employees.

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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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