Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Pikeville, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is perceived as a potent resource for detecting drug and alcohol usage. By capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the expanding hair strand, hair offers a long-term record of alcohol and drug consumption. Hair obtained near the scalp can extend up to a 3-month detection timeframe for alcohol and drugs. Collection is straightforward, tampering is somewhat challenging, and shipping is convenient.

A sample size of 1.5 inches containing roughly 200 hair strands near the scalp produces 100mg of hair, which is the preferred amount for analysis and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or panels surpassing 10, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We advocate for using a jeweler’s scale to measure the specimen's weight. If scalp hair is unavailable, a comparable amount of body hair may be gathered. The term "head hair" refers specifically to scalp hair, while "body hair" includes other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory goes through four principal steps when processing a drug test result: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, the initial handling of a sample occurs within the lab system. This step verifies the proper sealing and shipment of the sample, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any missing data entry not captured by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening offers a quick initial assessment for drug misuse. Though it's a cost-effective method to exclude drug usage in most samples, a positive result in Screening requires confirmation for legal acceptability. Any samples showing a presumptive positive in Screening must undergo a second confirmation.

If the Screening stage indicates a presumptively positive result, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are separated from hair at much lower concentrations compared to other techniques (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging process to execute.

GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS confirms any positive Screening outcomes. All samples evidencing presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the complete lab process is inspected under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can reveal drug usage reaching up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which cover a shorter timeframe.
• Challenging to falsify: Ensuring more precise results, it is substantially hard to manipulate a hair drug test.
• Traces historical usage: It demonstrates a drug use pattern over time, not just current consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting immediate use: It generally takes around 5-7 days for drugs to be identifiable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other drug testing practices.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth differences can affect drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Often dubbed as "hair follicle tests", the procedure examines the hair strand instead of the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Prevails Over Urine Testing in Pikeville, NC lies in its unparalleled detection accuracy. Hair testing captures a broader drug history, making it a superior choice for employers and legal entities. Unlike urine tests, which have a limited detection window, hair tests track substance use over a prolonged period, ensuring more reliable and comprehensive results.

Extended Detection Window

In Pikeville, NC, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window compared to traditional methods. This test can reveal drug usage history spanning up to 90 days, granting employers a wider scope to assess an individual's substance history. This provides a complete picture, crucial for making informed hiring or management decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing in Pikeville, NC is a standout feature. Unlike other tests that are subject to alterations, hair samples resist adulteration, ensuring results are unquestionably reliable. By reducing the risk of manipulation, this method becomes an incontrovertible tool for employers and legal systems.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With our myriad of convenient nationwide testing locations, including those in Pikeville, NC, accessing our services is swift and straightforward. The presence of both local and larger-scale facilities ensures a hassle-free testing experience, eliminating geographical and logistical barriers to effective drug testing.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of initiating a hair follicle test in Pikeville, NC is both simple and confidential. From ordering, taking, to receiving results, every step prioritizes privacy and ease. Our streamlined approach ensures that clients can engage with our testing services without undue stress or concern over personal data security.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our commitment to affordable pricing and fast turnaround transforms hair follicle testing in Pikeville, NC into a valuable asset for companies of all sizes. By balancing competitive costs with swift report delivery, we ensure organizations gain excellent value, bolstering both fiscal health and operational efficiency.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Pikeville, NC, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their precision and speed. The method's high accuracy in identifying substance use makes it a preferred choice for many organizations seeking trustworthy results. By cutting through the noise, hair testing delivers fast, reliable outcomes, ensuring those tested can swiftly move forward with the next steps in employment or legal processes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Pikeville, NC gain peace of mind using hair follicle testing, as it upholds workplace drug-free policies. Ensuring compliance reduces legal risks and promotes a secure work environment, benefiting both employers and employees. This method offers confidence in decision-making related to hiring and maintaining workplace standards.

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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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