Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Northbrook, OH

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged record of alcohol and drug use by immobilizing biomarkers within the hair's growing strands. When collected from the scalp, hair can cover a detection period of nearly three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, not easily tampered with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample comprising roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for testing and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or analyzing beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is inadequate, an equivalent amount of body hair can be collected. Scalp hair refers specifically to head hair, while body hair denotes other types like facial, axillary, etc.

Process Overview

The drug test result processing at the lab encompasses four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary step of incorporating a sample into a laboratory system. This step includes validating that the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any extra data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening pertains to an initial swift assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug usage for many samples, a positive result necessitates confirmation to be court-admissible. Samples that test presumptively positive in Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves isolating drugs from hair at a notably lower concentration than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening exceptionally challenging to execute.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcome utilizes GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Any samples presumptively positive are cleaned prior to confirmation as needed. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the entire lab process is examined under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited in accordance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, compared to urine tests with a shorter detection period.
• Difficulty to cheat: Hair drug tests are challenging to falsify, ensuring more reliable results.
• Provides historical data: They reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not limited to recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair within approximately 5-7 days.
• Cost: Generally, hair drug tests are pricier compared to other drug testing techniques.
• Variations in results: Hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentrations.

Note: While referred to as "hair follicle tests", the test analyzes the hair strand rather than the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Northbrook, OH, hair follicle testing stands out over traditional urine tests by providing enhanced detection accuracy. Its capacity to cover a broader timeframe makes it a superior choice for employers looking for reliable and robust screening options, going beyond the limitations of shorter testing methods.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Northbrook, OH, offers an extended detection window, capturing drug use history up to 90 days. This enables employers to gain a thorough understanding of an individual’s substance use patterns, supporting more informed decisions about potential hires or existing employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing minimizes the chance of sample tampering, delivering trustworthy results in Northbrook, OH. This testing method's inherent resistances to adulteration ensure the findings are authentic, crucial for compliance and safety in sensitive environments.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With extensive testing centers spread nationwide and locally in Northbrook, OH, accessing our services is straightforward. This network guarantees that clients can undergo testing conveniently and expediently, benefiting from hassle-free and efficient processes.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Northbrook, OH, our hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential. From ordering to collection and receiving results, each phase is designed to respect privacy while ensuring a seamless experience, addressing any confidentiality issues effectively.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and timely results in Northbrook, OH, our hair follicle testing services provide excellent value. The rapid turnaround and affordability ensure that businesses of all sizes can incorporate reliable testing without compromising on quality or breaking their budgets.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests deliver quick, precise, and reliable outcomes for residents of Northbrook, OH. The technology ensures high accuracy in detecting a wide range of substances, offering reassurance for employers and individuals alike. Clients can rely on swift process turnarounds without sacrificing the accuracy of results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle drug tests in Northbrook, OH, helps employers maintain compliance with drug-free workplace policies. It significantly reduces legal liabilities and enhances overall safety by accurately identifying substance use without vulnerability to manipulation.

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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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