Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Butler Junction, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term account of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the growing hair strand. With samples collected close to the scalp, hair testing can offer up to an estimated 3-month detection period for alcohol and other substances. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively challenging to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.

The optimal sample size for testing is a 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (around the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp, which produces 100mg of hair. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is suggested. It's advisable to measure the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent volume of body hair can be collected. "Head hair" specifically indicates scalp hair, while "Body hair" covers all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result consists of four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the preliminary entry of a sample into a laboratory's system. This step includes checking that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening entails an initial rapid examination for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-effective approach for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be accepted in legal proceedings. Any samples flagged as presumptively positive during Screening require follow-up confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive result at the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. During this stage, drugs are extracted from the hair at a significantly lower concentration compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methodologies to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positive results are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can reveal drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection period.
• Difficulty to cheat: Hair drug tests are extremely hard to manipulate, ensuring more reliable results.
• Provides historical data: It offers a history of drug usage over time, in contrast to recent usage alone.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: There is a delay of around 5-7 days for drug traces to appear in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests usually incur higher costs compared to alternative drug testing methods.
• Variations in results: Variables like hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Frequently termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand itself rather than the hair follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Butler Junction, PA, is a preferred method for detecting substance use, offering distinct advantages over traditional urine tests. A crucial benefit is the superior accuracy in identifying drug use over extended periods.

While urine tests are limited to detecting recent substance use, hair tests provide a comprehensive look at an individual's drug history, making them invaluable for settings that require stringent substance control.

Extended Detection Window

One of the prominent benefits of hair follicle testing in Butler Junction, PA, is its extended detection window. Analyzing drug use over the past 90 days offers a more thorough insight into an individual's behavior.

For employers, this extended time frame means obtaining a clearer picture of an employee's or potential hire's history, aiding in informed decision-making to maintain a safe and compliant workplace environment.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Butler Junction, PA, offer a tamper-resistant testing method that greatly reduces the possibility of sample adulteration. This robustness provides reliable and unquestionable results.

The intrinsic nature of hair tests, requiring a trained professional for sample collection, further ensures that the sample integrity is maintained, offering assurance and confidence to concerned parties.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient testing locations in Butler Junction, PA, and across the nation, accessing our hair follicle testing services is quick and effortless.

Our network ensures that wherever you are, you have easy access to our reliable testing services, emphasizing speed and efficiency, eliminating the hassles often associated with drug testing procedures.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Butler Junction, PA, our hair follicle testing process is simple and confidential. Ordering, taking, and receiving results are streamlined to ensure privacy and ease of use for all participants.

We prioritize confidentiality, ensuring that personal information is protected throughout the testing process, which is crucial in maintaining trust and securing sensitive data.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing and fast turnaround times for hair follicle testing in Butler Junction, PA, ensuring excellent value for companies of all sizes.

Our efficient processes guarantee not only savings but also swift results, enhancing business operations and ensuring you receive accurate insights when you need them most, supporting timely decisions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Butler Junction, PA, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their fast, precise, and reliable results. These assessments excel in their ability to accurately identify substance use, ensuring peace of mind for both employers and individuals.

Compared to other methods, hair tests are processed quickly and efficiently, leveraging advanced technology to deliver results that you can trust. This rapid turnaround supports prompt decision-making in critical situations.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Butler Junction, PA, find peace of mind with hair follicle testing, which supports compliance with stringent workplace drug-free policies. It minimizes legal risks and bolsters workplace safety.

This comprehensive testing approach ensures employers meet regulatory obligations while facilitating a secure and productive environment, crucial for company success and reputation.

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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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