Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Braddock Hills, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is widely acknowledged as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. The hair captures biomarkers within the strands as it grows, providing an extended record of substance use. When hair is gathered near the scalp, it offers an approximate three-month detection period for substances like alcohol. Collecting hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A sample size of about 1.5 inches from 200 strands (roughly the diameter of a #2 pencil) taken nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for conducting screening and confirmatory tests. In cases requiring EtG, additional analyses, or tests exceeding ten panels, a sample size of 150mg is recommended. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for precise measurement is advised. If scalp hair is not obtainable, equivalent body hair can be substituted. Only scalp hair is considered head hair, while body hair includes all other types such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of drug test results involves four essential phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step of integrating a sample into a lab's system, which includes verifying the sample's proper sealing and shipping, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data not available through an electronic chain of custody.

Screening serves as a preliminary rapid assessment for substances. Though cost-effective, a positive result from Screening requires confirmation for court admissibility. All samples testing positive at this stage must undergo secondary confirmation.

For samples that test positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for the Extraction phase. During this stage, drugs are extracted at notably lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair testing is considered the most challenging method to implement.

Positive Screening results are confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Any presumptive positives are washed before Confirmation if necessary. The entire process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is subject to review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Sustained detection period: Hair tests can trace drug use for up to 90 days, often extending beyond the shorter detection span of urine tests.
• Resistant to manipulation: Cheating hair drug tests is considerably hard, which ensures more accurate outcomes.
• Tracks historical usage: Provides a pattern of substance use over time, as opposed to detecting only recent use.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent intake: Detection in hair is possible only after about 5-7 days from use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs compared to alternative methods.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite being commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing
In Braddock Hills, PA, hair testing dominates over traditional urine testing through its superior detection accuracy and higher reliability. While urine tests can identify recent drug use, hair tests encompass a broader detection period, improving identification chances of inconsistent usage patterns. This makes hair follicle tests more effective for a comprehensive understanding of substance habits.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window
With its impressive detection period extending up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Braddock Hills, PA offers a broader understanding of substance use. For employers, this means a more detailed glance into the substance history of candidates or employees. Hair testing not only broadens the timeline for detection but also augments the reliability of the substance history insights it delivers.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method
The integrity of hair follicle tests in Braddock Hills, PA is rooted in their resistance to tampering. Unlike other methods, these tests significantly lower the risk of sample adulteration. Their design ensures that results stand up to scrutiny, making them a trustworthy choice for those looking for uncompromised testing outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations
With testing centers across Braddock Hills, PA, and nationwide, accessing our services is effortless. Whether local or afar, our expansive network assures a seamless testing experience, eliminating hassle. Individuals can engage with our services without fuss, ensuring accessibility no matter where they're located.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process
In Braddock Hills, PA, experience a straightforward and private process with our hair follicle testing services. From ordering to obtaining results, the procedure ensures confidentiality and is easy to follow. Balancing privacy with efficiency, it effectively addresses users' concerns, promising a discrete and seamless testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround
Competitive pricing and rapid result delivery underscore our hair follicle testing services in Braddock Hills, PA. These elements together provide excellent value, embodying cost-efficiency for organizations of all sizes. Our offerings ensure companies balance their budgets without sacrificing quality or speed in testing outcomes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results
In Braddock Hills, PA, hair follicle testing is unparalleled in delivering swift and precise results. Its detection ability offers high accuracy, ensuring effective substance use monitoring. When timeliness and precision matter, hair follicle tests stand out for their reliability, providing peace of mind and swift detection capabilities for an effective testing process.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers
For employers in Braddock Hills, PA, hair follicle testing ensures alignment with workplace drug-free policies, providing peace of mind. This testing method not only reduces potential legal liabilities but also boosts workplace safety and compliance, establishing a secure and harmonious environment at work.

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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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