Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Shawnee Hills, OH

What it is, How it works

Using hair testing is increasingly regarded as a highly effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. The hair encapsulates a long-term record of alcohol and other drugs as it integrates biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When cut near the scalp, hair can offer up to an estimated 3-month detection period for alcohol and various drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

By taking a 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp, one can obtain 100mg of hair, which is the adequate sample for screening and verification. For EtG, supplemental tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is advised. It's suggested to weigh the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is inadequate, an equivalent volume of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, it pertains solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair variations (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key phases within the lab processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial integration of a sample into the lab's system. This step includes ensuring the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and conducting any additional data input not provided by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary rapid scan for substances of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug use for most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to be valid in legal contexts. Samples showing presumptive positive results in Screening must undergo further confirmation.

For a sample with a presumptive positive result at the Screening stage, more hair is extracted from the initial collection and processed for Extraction. At this point, drugs are removed from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Any positive Screening outcome is validated through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are washed prior to confirmation as necessary. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning through Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a more restricted detection timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Due to the difficulty in deceiving a hair drug test, the results are more reliable.
• Offers historical insight: It presents a pattern of drug use over time rather than merely indicating recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair after about 5-7 days.
• Higher cost: Generally, hair drug tests incur more expense compared to alternative drug testing approaches.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence the drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis examines the hair strand rather than the scalp-based hair follicle

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Shawnee Hills, OH, hair follicle testing is a superior choice compared to traditional urine tests. This method boasts unmatched detection accuracy and reliability.

Compared to urine tests, hair tests provide better insights into an individual's history with drugs, offering longer detection windows and resistant to tampering.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Shawnee Hills, OH, offers a detection window of up to 90 days, effectively uncovering drug use over time.

This extended detection period provides employers with a thorough understanding of an employee's or applicant's substance use history, allowing for informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Shawnee Hills, OH, are highly tamper-resistant, minimizing the risk of sample adulteration.

This method ensures reliable and credible results, giving employers and organizations the confidence that the outcomes are valid and unaltered.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With nationwide testing centers and local facilities in Shawnee Hills, OH, access to hair drug testing services is hassle-free and convenient.

Employers and individuals benefit from quick and easy access to testing locations, facilitating smoother operations across the board.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in Shawnee Hills, OH, is simple and secure, ensuring user privacy and convenience.

From ordering to receiving results, every step maintains confidentiality, addressing any privacy concerns while being user-friendly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Shawnee Hills, OH, benefits from affordable hair follicle testing pricing structures that cater to businesses of all sizes.

The fast turnaround times provide excellent value, making this a cost-effective solution for companies seeking reliable drug testing methods.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The speed and precision of hair follicle drug tests make them a preferred choice in Shawnee Hills, OH. These tests are renowned for their high accuracy in identifying substance use, providing quick and reliable results.

With a high degree of precision, hair follicle tests yield dependable outcomes faster than many other methods available locally.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Shawnee Hills, OH, employers gain peace of mind by using hair follicle tests, ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies.

This testing method aids in diminishing legal risks and fostering a safer work environment, crucial for any business.

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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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