Hair Follicle Drug Testing - North Bonneville, WA

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has become recognized as a highly effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extensive record of alcohol and drug intake by capturing biomarkers within the growing hair fibers. When gathered near the scalp, hair can provide an approximate 3-month window for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easy to send.

A 1.5-inch portion of roughly 200 hair strands (resembling a #2 pencil's size) closest to the scalp yields 100mg, the perfect amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, supplementary tests, and/or panels surpassing 10, it's advised that 150mg of the sample be used. We suggest measuring the sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar quantity of body hair can be collected. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other hair forms (facial, axillary, etc.).

Overview of the Process

The drug testing lab process comprises four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

In Accessioning, the sample is initially processed into the lab system. This step ensures the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any ancillary data input absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as a preliminary and rapid assessment for drug abuse. While Screening is an economical method to rule out drug presence in most samples, any positive result requires confirmation to hold in legal scenarios. Samples showing potential positives during Screening demand a follow-up confirmation.

If a sample shows a potential positive in the Screening stage, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other techniques (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging to perform.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Prior to confirmation, all samples indicating a potential positive are cleaned as needed. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can spot drug usage up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter windows.
• Tough to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, ensuring more reliable results.
• Tracks historical usage: It can showcase drug use patterns over time, not just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Can't identify recent intake: Drugs take about 5-7 days to show up in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests usually cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests", this test evaluates the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Choose Hair Over Urine? In North Bonneville, WA, hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests in several ways. They offer superior detection accuracy and consistency, thereby delivering more reliable data regarding drug use history. The ability to detect substances up to 90 days makes it advantageous over shorter detection periods typical of urine testing.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Time: Hair follicle testing offers insights into drug use spanning up to 90 days. For employers in North Bonneville, WA, this tests' lengthy detection range provides a thorough understanding of a potential candidate or employee's substance history. This comprehensive approach aids in informed decision-making regarding hiring or retaining employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Sample Security: Hair follicle testing in North Bonneville, WA significantly cuts down the likelihood of tampering with samples. This testing method ensures that the results are dependable and unquestionable, providing stakeholders with confidence in the outcomes and minimizing the chances of sample adulteration.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience Nationwide: Our extensive network of testing centers, including those in North Bonneville, WA, ensures that hair follicle testing is accessible and hassle-free. The widespread availability allows for quick and easy access, greatly benefitting clients who require efficient and reliable testing services across the country.

Simple, Confidential Process

Confidentiality and Ease: In North Bonneville, WA, the process for hair follicle testing is straightforward and confidential. From ordering the test to collecting results, every step prioritizes user privacy and comfort, addressing any potential concerns about discretion and straightforwardness.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive Pricing ensures that businesses of all sizes in North Bonneville, WA, can benefit from affordable hair follicle testing. Paired with our fast turnaround, this pricing structure provides exceptional value without sacrificing quality or reliability, allowing companies to maintain peak operational standards economically.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Precision and Quick Results in North Bonneville, WA are crucial in drug testing. Hair follicle assessments provide highly precise detections of substance use. They ensure that individuals receive results swiftly without compromising accuracy. This speed and reliability make them a preferred choice for stakeholders needing definitive evidence.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employer Assurance in North Bonneville, WA is enhanced with hair follicle tests, ensuring alignment with drug-free workplace policies. This reliable testing method reduces legal liabilities and fosters a safer work environment. Employers gain peace of mind, knowing they're committed to maintaining a secure and compliant workplace.

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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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