Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cedar Falls, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is regarded as an effective means of identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and other substances by securing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair strand as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use spanning approximately 3 months. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment containing around 200 hair strands (comparable in thickness to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for analysis. For EtG, additional tests, or screenings exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. It's suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't accessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair is usable. References to head hair specifically mean scalp hair. In contrast, body hair includes all other hair types (such as facial and axillary).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning refers to the first stage of integrating a sample into a laboratory’s system. This process encompasses ensuring the sample is sealed and transported correctly, assigning a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completing any supplementary data input absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial rapid assessment for drug abuse. Although cost-effective, Screening can determine drug presence for most samples but requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Any samples that are presumptive positives in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

For samples deemed presumptive positives during the Screening stage, more hair is drawn from the original sample for the Extraction process. Here, drugs are withdrawn from hair at substantially lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), explaining the complexity of conducting hair drug screening.

Any screening result suspected of being positive is verified using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS technology. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory procedure, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair specification and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests exhibit a shorter detection period.
• Low likelihood of manipulation: Cheating on a hair drug test is exceedingly challenging, contributing to the accuracy of the results.
• Offers consumption history: This method can display a trend of drug usage over a stretch of time, not limited to recent intake.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: Drugs become traceable in hair after roughly 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug testing tends to be pricier than alternative testing approaches.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand and not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Cedar Falls, WA
Hair follicle tests provide notable advantages over traditional urine tests. With their superior detection accuracy, hair tests ensure a reliable method free from common tampering issues seen with urine tests. Employers in Cedar Falls can rely on hair testing for comprehensive assessments, which are invaluable when enforcing zero-tolerance drug policies.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Cedar Falls, WA
One key advantage of hair follicle drug testing is its extended detection period, spanning up to 90 days. This extended window allows employers to gain an in-depth view of an individual's substance use history, offering crucial insights during hiring or monitoring processes. Such comprehensive data aids companies in making informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Cedar Falls, WA
Hair follicle testing nearly eliminates the risk of sample tampering, providing results that are reliable and indisputable. This robustness in testing ensures that the outcomes reflect true substance use, providing peace of mind to employers and legal entities. Adulteration challenges commonly associated with other testing methods are minimized.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Cedar Falls, WA
We offer a vast network of nationwide testing centers, including convenient locations right in Cedar Falls. This accessibility guarantees that test-takers will experience a quick and hassle-free process. Our comprehensive network ensures that individuals and companies can access necessary testing services without unnecessary delays.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Cedar Falls, WA
Our hair follicle testing process is both straightforward and confidential, alleviating any privacy concerns. The system makes ordering, administering, and receiving results a seamless endeavor, giving individuals faith in maintaining their privacy. Companies benefit from the ease and confidentiality of the testing method, enhancing user experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Cedar Falls, WA
We offer competitive pricing structures, making our hair follicle tests accessible to companies of all sizes. Coupled with fast turnaround times, our services provide excellent value by combining affordability with efficiency. This ensures that companies can maintain effective drug testing without breaking the bank.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Cedar Falls, WA stand out for their fast, accurate, and reliable results. These tests offer unmatched precision in detecting substances, ensuring high accuracy levels in uncovering potential drug use. The combination of speed and precision makes hair testing an ideal choice for comprehensive drug screening. Employers and professionals benefit from swift and reliable outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Cedar Falls, WA
For employers, hair follicle testing guarantees compliance with drug-free workplace policies, mitigating potential legal risks. This method enhances safety in the workplace, offering employers peace of mind by ensuring that their teams operate in a secure and drug-free environment. Effective testing strategies protect both businesses and their staff.

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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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