Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Swarthmore, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective means for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a long-term record of alcohol and drugs by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing hair. When taken close to the scalp, hair can offer nearly a 3-month timeframe for detecting alcohol and drugs. The collection of hair is straightforward, relatively tamper-proof, and convenient for shipping.

A sample of 1.5 inches length with approximately 200 strands of hair (similar to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides about 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional testing, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is recommended. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. By head hair, we mean only scalp hair, whereas body hair refers to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test result involves four major steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial entry of a sample into the lab’s system. This step verifies proper sample sealing and shipment, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills in any missing data not recorded by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary quick assessment for drugs of abuse. While cost-effective for eliminating drug use in the majority of samples, a positive result here requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Presumptively positive samples in Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is retrieved from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to execute.

The Confirmation of any positive screening result is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, any presumptive positive samples are washed as required. From Accessioning through Confirmation, the complete laboratory process is reviewed under both the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests, which have a shorter timeframe.
• Difficulty to cheat: Cheating a hair drug test is very challenging, increasing the accuracy of the results.
• Provides historical data: It offers a pattern of drug use over time, beyond just recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests tend to be more costly than other drug testing methods.
• Variations in results: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Even though commonly referred to as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Swarthmore, PA, vastly surpasses urine tests in detection range and reliability. Whereas urine tests can be deceptive, hair testing provides an extensive analysis of substance use over time, ensuring a thorough review.

The superior benefits of hair testing include its broad detection window and less susceptibility to tampering. This comprehensive method offers unparalleled accuracy, making it the preferred choice over traditional urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Swarthmore, PA, offers a thorough view of drug use history, up to 90 days. This long-term analysis aids employers in assessing drug use trends over time.

Employers benefit from hair follicle testing’s long detection period, gaining a complete picture of an individual's substance habits. This approach helps make informed decisions regarding potential employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Swarthmore, PA, minimizes the risk of sample tampering, providing incontrovertible results. The method's design inherently reduces chances of adulteration.

This effective testing approach guarantees reliability, as it diminishes opportunities for sample manipulation, ensuring results remain trustworthy and valid.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Swarthmore, PA, benefits from our expansive network of nationwide testing centers, providing seamless access to testing services.
The convenience of these facilities ensures quick and straightforward testing, minimizing any hassle for participants.

With numerous locations including those in Swarthmore, accessibility is never an issue, allowing for efficient and convenient testing experiences.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process in Swarthmore, PA, for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, each step respects privacy concerns, ensuring peace of mind.

This private and straightforward process alleviates any concerns, offering an easy-to-navigate sequence from test initiation to completion, guaranteeing confidentiality throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Swarthmore, PA, our competitive pricing structure for hair follicle tests ensures affordability across businesses of all sizes. This cost-effectiveness complements our fast turnaround, bringing value and reassurance to our clients.

Affordable testing solutions paired with quick result times underscore our commitment to providing excellent service, ensuring companies receive the best value for their investment.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Precision and speed are hallmarks of hair follicle drug testing in Swarthmore, PA. These tests offer a highly accurate assessment of substance use, ensuring reliable results. Their capability to rapidly detect various substances makes them ideal for those seeking dependable testing solutions.

The effectiveness of hair follicle tests lies in their ability to deliver prompt and precise results. This method is trusted for its accuracy, providing unambiguous insights into an individual's substance use history.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Swarthmore, PA, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This reduces legal exposure and fortifies workplace safety through reliable screening.

Utilizing hair follicle testing enhances peace of mind, reassuring employers about adherence to legal norms while fostering a safer working 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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