Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mesic, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains long-term alcohol and drug history by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the strand as it grows. When gathered close to the scalp, it can offer up to a 3-month window for detecting substances. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to alter, and convenient to transport.

A sample roughly 1.5 inches long, consisting of 200 strands (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil) from the scalp will provide 100mg of hair, which is ideal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests beyond 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is preferred. We advise using a jeweler’s scale for weighing. If scalp hair is not accessible, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. "Head hair" refers specifically to scalp hair, whereas "body hair" includes all other types like facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The principal stages in processing a laboratory drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves inputting the sample into a lab’s system initially. This involves ensuring the sample was sealed and delivered correctly, allocating it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry not managed by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary assessment for substances. While it serves as a cost-effective approach to exclude drug use in most samples, any positive findings need courtroom confirmation. Samples showing positive signs in Screening require further confirmation.

If a sample yields a presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This stage involves extracting drugs from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening particularly challenging.

Confirmation of any positive screen results is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation, if necessary. The entire lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection period: Hair tests detect drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter windows.
• Hard to deceive: It is quite challenging to tamper with a hair drug test, ensuring more precise results.
• Offers historical insights: It reveals drug usage patterns over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Lacks recent detection: Drugs become detectable in hair after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Hair color and personal hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Despite the term "hair follicle tests," the procedure examines the strand and not the follicle beneath the skin.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why choose hair follicle testing over urine testing in Mesic, NC? The answer lies in comparison: hair testing boasts superior detection accuracy and reliability.

Hair follicle tests outshine traditional urine tests due to their extended detection period, offering a more comprehensive view of an individual's drug use history.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window is a standout benefit of hair follicle testing in Mesic, NC. It identifies drug use over an impressive period of up to 90 days.

For employers, this means a deeper insight into an employee's or applicant's substance history, enhancing informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Mesic, NC, is a tamper-resistant method, dramatically reducing the risk of sample adulteration.

Thanks to the observed collection process, hair tests provide reliable and unquestionable results, safeguarding the integrity of the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient nationwide testing locations, including local centers in Mesic, NC, ensuring hassle-free access.

Our extensive network allows individuals and businesses to benefit from quick and easy testing services without unnecessary delays or inconvenience.

Simple, Confidential Process

We facilitate a simple, confidential process for hair follicle testing in Mesic, NC. Ordering, testing, and receiving results is straightforward and respects privacy concerns.

This approach ensures a user-friendly experience for all parties, addressing any concerns about confidentiality and ease of use.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our affordable pricing makes hair follicle testing in Mesic, NC, accessible for businesses of all sizes, complemented by fast turnaround times.

This combination of value and efficiency provides companies with a reliable solution for their testing needs, coupled with peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Mesic, NC, hair follicle drug tests provide fast, accurate, and reliable results. Their precision in identifying substance use is unparalleled, offering a quicker and highly accurate detection.

The high level of accuracy in hair follicle tests allows for confident assessments. This ensures that employers and organizations receive dependable data promptly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Adopting hair follicle testing in Mesic, NC, offers employers compliance with drug-free workplace policies, ensuring a safer environment.

Such testing reduces legal liabilities while enhancing overall workplace safety and providing peace of mind for organizations and their personnel.

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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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