Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bethesda, OH

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. Hair captures a history of alcohol and drug consumption by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the strand. When taken near the scalp, hair can reveal drug use for roughly a 3-month period. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch section from around 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg, the preferred amount for screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, additional panels, or tests over 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. We suggest weighing the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is missing, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. References to head hair pertain to scalp hair only, while body hair refers to all other hair types (such as facial and axillary).

Process Overview

There are four primary stages in laboratory drug test processing: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step, where a sample is entered into the laboratory system. This step includes ensuring the sample was properly sealed and transported, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any necessary manual data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening performs a preliminary check for substances of abuse. Although Screening is cost-efficient for excluding drug use in most samples, court-admissible results require confirmation for any positive findings. Presumptively positive Screening results necessitate secondary confirmation.

Presumptive positives from the Screening phase result in additional hair being taken from the original sample for Extraction. In this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to urine or oral fluids, making hair drug tests the most challenging to conduct.

Confirmation for any positive screened samples is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as required. The complete laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standard and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection times.
• Hard to manipulate: Hair drug tests are tough to deceive, enhancing result accuracy.
• Chronological data: Provides a drug usage pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs generally become detectable in hair after 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically cost more than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth variations can alter drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Referred to often as "hair follicle tests", the actual test examines the hair strand, not the underneath hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Bethesda, OH, offers a clear edge over traditional urine testing through its superior detection reliability and accuracy. Unlike urine tests, hair tests can detect drug use over a longer period, making them more reliable for identifying habitual substance use.

Unmatched Accuracy: The accuracy of hair testing surpasses that of urine tests. Employers benefit from this precision, ensuring adherence to workplace policies.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Bethesda, OH, benefit from the hair follicle test's extended detection window, which spans up to 90 days. This capability offers insights into an individual's long-term substance use habits, providing a thorough understanding of their drug history.

Comprehensive Review: Hair testing's extended detection gives employers a comprehensive overview of an applicant's substance use over several months.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests provide a tamper-resistant solution in Bethesda, OH, significantly minimizing sample adulteration risks. With this method, test results remain trustworthy and free from manipulation.

Secure Results: Due to its tamper-resistant nature, hair testing ensures reliable and unquestionable results, safeguarding the integrity of the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With testing centers nationwide and locally in Bethesda, OH, our hair follicle testing services offer convenience and ease of access. This wide-ranging network ensures that testing is quick, easy, and free of hassle for individuals and businesses alike.

Local Convenience: Our Bethesda, OH location coupled with our vast national reach, makes accessing drug testing straightforward.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Bethesda, OH, the process for hair follicle testing is simple and confidential, from ordering a test to collecting samples and receiving results. This easy process ensures privacy and convenience, addressing potential concerns about confidentiality.

Confidential Ease: Our straightforward procedure and strong confidentiality safeguards assure users of their privacy.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our Bethesda, OH hair follicle test services provide competitive pricing alongside swift turnaround times, offering excellent value for businesses of any size seeking peace of mind without stretching budgets.

Value and Speed: With affordable rates and fast service, businesses benefit from cost-effective drug testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Bethesda, OH, hair follicle drug tests offer unparalleled accuracy and speed in substance detection. Their high precision is due to their ability to provide fast and reliable results, which makes them an ideal choice for anyone prioritizing accuracy in drug testing.

Fast and Reliable: Hair follicle tests are lauded for delivering rapid and accurate detection of substance use. This speed ensures timely and dependable outcomes, offering confidence in results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For businesses in Bethesda, OH, hair follicle testing guarantees compliance with drug-free workplace policies, nurturing a safer work environment and reducing legal risks. The peace of mind from using such a robust method enhances overall safety standards.

Enhanced Safety: Hair testing's reliability supports compliance, promoting safe practices and minimizing legal liabilities.

Drug Testing Near Bethesda, OH

Armstrongs Mills, OH

St. Clairsville, OH

Glencoe, OH

Jacobsburg, OH

Flushing, OH

Somerton, OH

Bannock, OH

Lafferty, OH

Barnesville, OH

Mount Liberty, OH

Belmont, OH

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews