Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Brenton, WV

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Through the capture of biomarkers within the fibers of growing hair strands, hair offers a comprehensive record of alcohol and drug use over time. When collected close to the scalp, it can offer an approximately three-month window of detection for alcohol and drugs. Hair is easy to collect, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch section consisting of around 200 hair strands (roughly the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg, which is the optimal amount for screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is suggested. We advise weighing the specimen using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be used. "Head hair" refers specifically to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses other types, such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

There are four primary stages in the laboratory processing of a drug test: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample into a laboratory’s database. This step includes confirming the sample's proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and entering any additional information not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a preliminary analysis for drugs of abuse. While it is an economical means to eliminate potential drug use in most samples, a positive screening result requires validation for legal proceedings. Any samples that are preliminarily positive during Screening necessitate secondary confirmation.

In instances of presumptive positive results during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. This step involves extracting drugs from hair at considerably lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The complete process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can trace drug use for up to 90 days, surpassing the shorter window of urine tests.
• Not easily compromised: Cheating a hair drug test is quite difficult, ensuring more accurate results.
• Historical usage patterns: It can offer a drug use pattern over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than alternative drug testing methods.
• Variability in results: Variables like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Despite being commonly known as "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Brenton, WV, the advantages of hair follicle testing outweigh those of conventional urine tests. With superior detection accuracy and dependability, hair tests provide a more comprehensive overview of substance use, capturing a wider range of drug history.
While urine tests detect recent use, hair testing surpasses by identifying prolonged patterns, thus offering employers more reliable results for enforcing non-drug use policies.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Brenton, WV, privileges a longer detection window, offering the ability to trace drug use back up to 90 days. This extended period provides employers with a broader perspective of an applicant's or employee's substance history, allowing more informed decision-making.
Such comprehensive detection enables a clearer assessment of a person's long-term drug use behavior.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Brenton, WV, trusts the integrity of hair follicle testing, a method significantly resistant to tampering. This testing type minimizes the risk of sample adulteration, guaranteeing uncontested and reliable results.
With hair samples, the chance for manipulation is greatly reduced, making this method a secure option for trustworthy drug testing outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is assured with Accredited Drug Testing's nationwide presence, including local facilities in Brenton, WV, delivering swift and hassle-free testing access.
Our widespread network facilitates efficient, prompt testing services, ensuring companies and individuals in Brenton and beyond get timely, accessible drug testing solutions without complexities.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process in Brenton, WV, for hair follicle testing is crafted to be simple and confidential, addressing privacy concerns effectively. Ordering, taking, and receiving results is seamless, protecting individual confidentiality and easing the entire testing experience.
This straightforward method fosters trust and ensures user-friendly engagement throughout the testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Brenton, WV, our hair follicle testing is offered at competitive pricing, aligning with fair market values. Fast turnaround times ensure companies receive timely results, optimizing operational flow.
This combination of affordability and rapid service offers tremendous value, catering to businesses of varied sizes with cost-effective, quick solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Brenton, WV, benefits from hair follicle drug testing's precision and speed, offering fast, accurate results. This method excels with its ability to reliably identify substance use, providing high accuracy levels crucial for trustworthy testing outcomes.
Hair testing swiftly delivers definitive answers, ensuring the detection of drug use is both exact and prompt, meeting all standards of reliability and efficacy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Brenton, WV, achieve peace of mind and assured compliance with drug-free workplace policies through hair follicle testing. This method reduces legal risks, enhancing workplace safety and adhering to industry and legal standards.
Implementing hair testing ensures consistent enforcement of a zero-tolerance stance on substance use, safeguarding organizational interests.

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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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