Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Raven, VA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair acts as a timeline for alcohol and drugs, capturing biomarkers within the hair strand as it grows. When taken close to the scalp, hair can indicate alcohol and drug use for up to 3 months. Hair is straightforward to collect, relatively tamper-resistant, and simple to send.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches with roughly 200 hair strands (the width of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp will yield 100mg, which is the perfect quantity for screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is suggested. If scalp hair cannot be collected, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The lab processing of a drug test result includes four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial phase where a sample is entered into the lab's system. This step ensures the sample was properly sealed and sent, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any extra data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an affordable means to detect drug use in most samples, only confirmed positive screens are acceptable in legal settings. Any presumptive positive samples identified in Screening proceed to a secondary confirmation.

In cases of a presumptive positive at the Screening phase, additional hair from the initial sample is used for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other testing methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug testing is considered the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of positive screening results is done with GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are prewashed before confirmation, if necessary. The comprehensive laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can reveal drug use up to 90 days back, as opposed to urine tests with a shorter period.
• Difficulty to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is notably challenging, ensuring more precise results.
• Historical insight: It can show drug use patterns over time, unlike recent-only detection.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent drug use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests usually cost more than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: While often termed "hair follicle tests", the actual test analyzes the hair strand and not the follicle underneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Raven, VA sees hair follicle testing as a superior alternative to traditional urine tests. Hair testing offers an impressive accuracy level and reliability in detection that urine tests often lack. The method's extended detection window allows for a more extensive review of an individual's substance habits, surpassing the limitations of urine analysis.

Extended Detection Window

In Raven, VA, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window of approximately 90 days. This long-term detection capability provides employers with a deep insight into the substance use history of applicants or employees, surpassing the short-term window provided by urine tests. This comprehensive view ensures more informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Raven, VA's hair follicle tests provide an effective tamper-resistant solution, minimizing the potential for sample adulteration. These tests ensure the delivery of reliable and trustworthy results and are outstanding for upholding the integrity of the drug testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient testing centers spread across the Nation and local facilities in Raven, VA, our services are accessible and hassle-free. Ensuring easy access to testing services reduces travel stress and promotes a seamless testing experience for users everywhere.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Raven, VA, our hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, every step is designed to protect privacy and offer ease of use, addressing any concerns regarding confidentiality and simplicity in the testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable pricing combined with fast turnaround times makes hair follicle testing in Raven, VA an attractive option. Our competitive rates and swift service ensure excellent value and peace of mind, benefiting companies of all sizes tremendously.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Raven, VA, hair follicle drug tests stand out for their quick and dependable results. These tests provide highly precise readings, efficiently detecting substances that might be missed by other methods. Their ability to deliver accurate findings swiftly makes them invaluable in timely decision-making processes for employers and individuals alike.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in Raven, VA offers employers compliance with workplace drug-free policies. This testing method supports legal and safety standards, reducing legal risks and contributing to overall peace of mind by maintaining a secure and efficient 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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