Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Weddington, NC

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has become recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When obtained near the scalp, hair can offer up to a three-month detection period for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is easy to gather, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to mail.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hairs (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for evaluation and verification. For EtG, additional tests, and/or analyses beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest measuring the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. When referring to head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning deals with the initial processing of a sample into a lab’s system. This involves ensuring the sample was properly sealed and shipped, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not supplied by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening includes a preliminary rapid check for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient way to rule out drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be acceptable in court. Any samples that are tentatively positive in Screening require a secondary confirmation.

If a sample is tentatively positive in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are withdrawn from hair at a considerably lower concentration than with other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug testing is among the most challenging methods to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All potential positive samples undergo washing before confirmation if necessary. The full laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to falsify: It is highly difficult to tamper with a hair drug test, ensuring the results are more trustworthy.
• Offers historical insight: It can illustrate a pattern of drug consumption over time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: It takes roughly 5-7 days for drugs to be identifiable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are generally pricier than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Though often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Weddington, NC, stands out when compared to traditional urine tests.Detection accuracy and reliability are highlights, as hair tests can uncover drug use over a longer period than urine tests. This makes them an attractive choice for employers and legal entities.

The superior detection duration of hair testing captures a broader timeline of substance use, providing richer insights than urine testing's limited scope. Hair tests publicize a more thorough screening outcome.

Extended Detection Window

In Weddington, NC, hair follicle drug tests reveal extended periods of drug use, often up to 90 days. This long detection window allows employers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s substance history over time.

The ability to track drug use over an extended period grants businesses a valuable advantage in ensuring accurate assessments of potential hires or existing employees. This detailed insight is unparalleled compared to shorter-term testing options.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Weddington, NC, hair follicle testing provides a tamper-resistant method for substance testing, reducing the possibility of sample alteration. The reliability of these tests ensures that results remain unquestionable, offering confidence to those who require accurate data.

Unlike other testing methods, hair tests safeguard against adulteration, providing a robust mechanism that assures stakeholders of the authenticity and integrity of the results acquired.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Weddington, NC, the convenience offered by nationwide and local testing centers makes accessing drug testing services a straightforward process. Our extensive location network guarantees quick and hassle-free testing close to where you are.

The availability of numerous testing sites ensures ease and accessibility for individuals and companies, streamlining the testing process from start to finish, making it less burdensome.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Weddington, NC, the process of ordering and receiving hair follicle test results is both simple and confidential. Our service prioritizes privacy, ensuring that ease of use is paramount for all clients ensuring seamless experiences.

From the initial order to receiving results, our streamlined process ensures client concerns about privacy and ease are addressed, making navigating the testing journey straightforward without added stress.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our testing services in Weddington, NC, promise affordable pricing alongside fast turnaround times, delivering excellent value for companies regardless of size. Competitive pricing and efficiency combine to support businesses.

By providing cost-effective options with quick results, we ensure companies are spared undue financial burden while obtaining peace of mind that their testing needs are met with great speed and accuracy.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Weddington, NC, hair follicle drug tests offer rapid and precise results. Their accuracy in spotting substance usage is unmatched, providing reliable data swiftly. Precision and speed combine to make this method superior to others, ensuring that every test delivers dependable results quickly.

Thanks to advances in testing technology, hair follicle tests can process and deliver findings faster without compromising accuracy. This ensures that individuals and companies receive the most accurate and swift results possible.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Weddington, NC, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, mitigating legal risks and boosting workplace safety. The peace of mind brought by these reliable screening methods supports a safe working environment.

By adopting hair testing, companies can guarantee adherence to policies, promoting a culture of integrity and safety. This proactive approach complements legal standards, fostering employer-employee trust.

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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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