Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Westwater, UT

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly perceived as an effective instrument for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as a long-term record of alcohol and other drugs by incorporating biomarkers in the strands' fibers as they grow. When gathered close to the scalp, hair can offer up to a 3-month detection period for alcohol and other drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

An ideal sample consists of a 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (about the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp, yielding 100mg of hair suitable for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg specimen is suggested. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is advisable. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, we imply scalp hair exclusively. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key laboratory processing stages of a drug test outcome involve Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial intake of a sample into a laboratory's system. This includes verifying that the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary swift assessment for drugs of abuse. Screening is a cost-effective method to eliminate drug use in most samples, but a positive result necessitates confirmation to be legally admissible. Samples showing presumptive positives in Screening require subsequent confirmation.

Should a sample show presumptive positive in the Screening phase, more hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), marking hair drug screening as the most challenging methodology to administer.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome employs GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing prior to confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can uncover drug use for up to 90 days, while urine tests show a shorter window.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is highly challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Yields a historical pattern: It indicates drug use patterns over time, beyond recent usage.

Constraints:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Detection in hair takes about 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Price: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other testing techniques.
• Result disparities: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand itself, not the underlying hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Westwater, UT, hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests in accuracy and reliability. The main advantage lies in its superior detection capabilities, offering a reliable alternative to conventional urine analysis.

Unlike urine tests, hair follicle tests provide an extensive overview of substance use history, making them more effective for employers who prioritize comprehensive detection over short-term analysis.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Westwater, UT, provides insight into an individual's substance use for up to 90 days. This makes it an invaluable tool for employers seeking a thorough evaluation.

By using hair follicle tests, companies can assess an applicant or employee's substance history over a longer period, resulting in more informed hiring or monitoring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Westwater, UT, hair follicle tests offer a tamper-resistant solution for drug testing. This method significantly reduces the chance of sample adulteration, ensuring results are both reliable and conclusive.

The integrity of hair follicle testing means that it is nearly impossible to falsify results, setting a higher standard for post-collection accuracy and reliability.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenience with testing centers spread nationwide, including local options in Westwater, UT. This network ensures quick and hassle-free testing services.

With accessible locations, companies and individuals can enjoy seamless access to testing facilities, enhancing the testing experience through simplicity and ease.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Westwater, UT, the process for hair follicle testing is straightforward and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease from ordering to receiving results. This simplicity encourages participation and trust.

Privacy is a priority, and each step—from test administration to result delivery—is designed with user confidentiality as an essential component, making it user-friendly.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing, hair follicle testing in Westwater, UT, provides excellent value for companies. The fast turnaround time adds to the attractiveness for businesses of all sizes.

With affordable options and swift results, companies can benefit from effective testing solutions that don't compromise quality or speed, maintaining peace of mind.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Situated in Westwater, UT, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their incredible precision and speed. These tests are ideal for detecting substance use with high accuracy, leaving no room for doubts.

The advanced technology behind hair testing offers swift results, ensuring that employers quickly receive reliable data. This method stands out for its high-definition accuracy in substance identification.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Westwater, UT, compliance with workplace drug-free policies is crucial. Hair follicle testing not only meets these standards but also minimizes legal risks and enhances workplace safety.

Adopting hair testing fosters a culture of trust and accountability, providing peace of mind to companies by ensuring adherence to policy regulations.

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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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