Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Jennersville, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has gained recognition as a strong method for detecting drug and alcohol use. Hair offers an extended history of alcohol and other drugs by embedding biomarkers in the strands of the hair as it grows. If taken close to the scalp, hair can offer a detection timeframe of up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. It is easy to gather, fairly resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches, consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil in size) near the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for tests and confirmations. For EtG, additional testing, or screens exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for measuring the sample. If scalp hair is not available, a comparable amount of body hair can be used. In terms of head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair types (like facial and axillary).

Process Overview

The core procedures in laboratory drug test result processing consist of Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning constitutes the initial handling of a sample into the lab’s system. This process ensures that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigns a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening offers an initial rapid drug abuse check. While economical for negating drug use in most samples, a positive screening outcome requires confirmation to be viable in judicial settings. Samples with presumptively positive results necessitate further confirmation.

If screening results in a presumptive positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are sourced from hair at much lower levels compared to other methods (like urine or saliva), making hair drug screening the most complex procedure to implement.

Any positive screening findings are confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, presumptive positive samples are cleansed as needed. The full lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug examinations can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Hair drug tests are tough to alter, enhancing result accuracy.
• Shows usage history: It can reveal a drug usage pattern over time, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug evaluations generally cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variation: Elements such as hair color and personal hair growth changes can influence drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the examination actually targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the skin.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Jennersville, PA, choosing hair follicle testing over urine testing demonstrates superior accuracy and dependability. With an ability to detect substance use long after the fact,
hair testing outshines traditional urine tests by providing a more comprehensive drug use history.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Jennersville, PA, covers a broad detection window, spanning up to 90 days. This extended period offers employers valuable insights
into an individual’s substance history, excellent for evaluating long-term habit patterns.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests in Jennersville, PA, ensures unquestioned reliability. Compared to other methods,
it significantly reduces the risk of sample adulteration, providing dependable and accurate results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient locations nationwide, including local centers in Jennersville, PA, accessing hair follicle testing services is quick and hassle-free.
We provide seamless access to ensure you can address your testing needs efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our testing process in Jennersville, PA, is straightforward and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, the procedure is designed
to address privacy concerns with ease, ensuring a seamless experience for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Jennersville, PA, we offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times for hair follicle testing, bringing value and peace of mind
to businesses of various sizes without compromising quality.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle drug tests in Jennersville, PA, are unmatched. They offer high accuracy in detecting substances, ensuring reliability.
Employers and individuals trust these tests to provide fast, conclusive results, setting a benchmark for testing standards.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Jennersville, PA employers gain peace of mind from hair follicle testing. Ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies,
these tests help mitigate legal risks, enhance safety, and promote a healthier, more secure work environment.

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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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