Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Enochville, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair samples are now recognized as an effective mechanism for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a longitudinal history of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When obtained near the scalp, hair offers a detection duration of up to around 90 days for both alcohol and drugs. The collection of hair is straightforward, relatively resistant to tampering, and convenient for transport.

A minimum of 200 hair strands, cut 1.5 inches close to the scalp (equivalent to a #2 pencil's width), will yield a sample weighing approximately 100mg, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For tests involving EtG, additional panels, or those exceeding 10 panels, it is advisable to use 150mg of the sample. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. Should scalp hair be lacking, a comparable quantity of body hair can be gathered. "Head hair" specifically denotes scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory analysis of a drug test encompasses four principal stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial phase where a sample is integrated into a lab's system. This procedure includes validating the sample’s seal and shipment, allocating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and performing any supplementary data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening acts as a preliminary assessment for the presence of abused substances. Though cost-efficient for excluding drug use in numerous cases, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for courtroom validity. Samples testing positive in Screening undergo further verification.

In cases of a positive result during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and put through Extraction. Here, drugs are separated from hair at concentrations significantly lower than alternative methods (e.g., urine or saliva), explaining why hair drug screening is exceptionally challenging.

Positive screens undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples that are prescreened positive are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The complete procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 norms.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can trace substance use for up to three months, unlike urine tests which cover a shorter period.
• Minimized chance of deceit: Cheating on a hair drug test is notably difficult, ensuring more accurate outcomes.
• Historical reporting: It can illustrate a timeline of substance use, rather than only capturing recent activity.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: It requires about 5-7 days post-use for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests incur higher costs than other testing types.
• Result variability: Results can be influenced by factors such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth affecting metabolite concentration.

Note: Often incorrectly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Enochville, NC
Hair tests offer superior detection capability over traditional urine tests, providing long-term substance history. They demonstrate heightened accuracy and reliability, giving peace of mind to organizations prioritizing safety and legal compliance.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Enochville, NC
Hair follicle testing's ability to detect drug use over an extended period, up to 90 days, gives employers a detailed look at an individual's substance use history, making it an invaluable tool for informed decision-making and maintaining workplace standards.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Enochville, NC
Hair follicle drug tests are inherently resistant to tampering, ensuring reliability. The test's structure greatly minimizes the potential for sample adulteration, providing robust and unequivocal results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Enochville, NC
Our vast network of testing centers guarantees easy access from numerous locations, ensuring hassle-free and prompt testing services to meet your needs anywhere in the nation, including locally in Enochville.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Enochville, NC
Ordering, conducting, and receiving results is straightforward and discreet, ensuring confidentiality and ease. Our process respects privacy concerns, making it seamless for clients to undergo testing procedures effortlessly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Enochville, NC
Our competitive pricing and swift turnaround times provide valuable and cost-effective solutions for organizations of any size, delivering peace of mind with budget-friendly options and timely results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Enochville, NC
Hair follicle drug tests assure speedy results combined with precision, offering a high level of accuracy in detecting substance use. These tests provide quick assessments, allowing employers to make informed decisions without delay.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Enochville, NC
Utilizing hair follicle testing ensures adherence to workplace drug-free policies, reducing legal liabilities and promoting a secure work environment. Such compliance leads to enhanced safety and 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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