Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Leesville, OH

What it is, How it works

Testing hair has emerged as an effective method to identify drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures biomarkers in its growing fibers, which offer an extended timeline of substance use. When strands are gathered near the scalp, the detection window for drugs and alcohol can reach up to three months. Collection is straightforward, discouraging tampering, and is simple to transport.

A strand sample of roughly 1.5 inches, about 200 pieces, similar to a #2 pencil in width, gives 100mg of hair, an optimal quantity for testing. For comprehensive panels beyond 10 or additional tests like EtG, 150mg is preferred. It's advisable to weigh the sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn’t accessible, similar volumes of body hair can be used instead. Notably, head hair signifies only scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types (like facial or axillary).

Process Overview

The principal stages in processing a drug test in a lab are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the process where a sample is first entered into the lab's system. This encompasses confirming proper sealing and shipping of the sample, allotting a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling extra data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody setup.

Screening offers an initial, quick assessment for substances of abuse. Though Screening is a budget-friendly method to rule out drug use in many samples, positive results require confirmation for court validity. Presumptive positives in Screening necessitate further verification.

For samples detected as positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepped for Extraction. Drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to other techniques (like urine or saliva), making hair analysis intricate.

Confirmation of any positive screen is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positives are washed before confirmation if necessary. The lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes review under CAP (College of American Pathologists) for Hair designation and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Unlike urine tests, hair drug tests can indicate substance use up to 90 days.
• Enhanced test integrity: Cheating a hair drug test is significantly challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Records historical use: It shows drug usage patterns over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Cannot assess recent use: Drugs take roughly 5-7 days to appear in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug testing costs more than other forms of drug testing.
• Result variability: Hair color and individual growth differences can impact drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: This test, though often termed a "hair follicle test", evaluates hair strands, not the scalp's hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Leesville, OH, hair follicle testing stands superior to traditional urine testing. Hair tests tackle the core challenge of accurate detection, offering reliable results that can uncover substance misuse missed by urine tests. Their ability to trace drugs over extended periods reveals superior accuracy and dependability.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Leesville, OH, provides an extended detection window, illuminating drug use histories up to 90 days prior. This broad timeframe equips employers with comprehensive insight into a candidate's or employee's substance use past, promoting informed hiring decisions and workplace safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Leesville, OH's hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant solution to drug testing. They significantly minimize risks of sample adulteration, ensuring reliable results that remain unquestioned. This robustness brings confidence to employers seeking trustworthy substance use screenings.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With Accessible testing locations nationwide, including Leesville, OH, Accredited Drug Testing offers convenience and ease. Our widespread network enables quick, hassle-free access to testing services, ensuring satisfying experiences without geographical constraints for employers and individuals.

Simple, Confidential Process

Accredited Drug Testing in Leesville, OH, offers a simple and private process for hair follicle testing. From ordering to taking the test to receiving results, every step is streamlined, ensuring privacy and ease. Clients can be confident in handling sensitive data securely and efficiently.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Leesville, OH, our pricing for hair follicle testing remains competitive, paired with rapid turnaround times. This affordability, coupled with fast results, provides exceptional value and assurance to businesses of all sizes, ensuring cost-effective drug testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Leesville, OH, are renowned for delivering fast and precise results. These tests are highly accurate, detecting substance usage with precision and reliability that exceed other methods. Their swift processing time ensures stakeholders make informed decisions without delay.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Leesville, OH, gain compliance and peace of mind with hair follicle testing. Adhering to drug-free workplace policies minimizes legal risks and enhances safety. This method aligns with stringent standards, ensuring organizational policies meet regulatory requirements consistently.

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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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