Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hamlin, WV

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an efficient mechanism for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands' fibers as they grow. When gathered near the scalp, hair offers an approximate 3-month window to reveal alcohol and drug use. The collection process for hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 strands of hair (comparable to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp equates to 100mg of hair, the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation purposes. For EtG, supplementary tests, and/or evaluations exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is suggested. In instances where scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be secured. By head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses any other hair type (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test result comprises four essential stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the preliminary integration of a sample into a laboratory's framework. This process includes checking if the sample is sealed and dispatched correctly, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplementary data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial, swift evaluation for potential drug abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive screening outcome necessitates further confirmation to be legally valid in court. Samples flagging positive during Screening demand a secondary confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen for further Extraction. During this stage, drugs are isolated from hair at lower concentrations than would be seen with other modalities (like urine or oral fluids), rendering hair drug screening the most challenging to perform.

For confirming a positive screening result, methods such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS are employed. All samples with presumptive positives undergo washing prior to confirmation if needed. The entire lab procedure from Accessioning through to Confirmation is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and aligns with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a briefer detection period.
• Resilience to deceit: It is extremely challenging to mislead a hair drug test, thus ensuring more reliable results.
• Historical data provision: It exposes a pattern of drug consumption over an extended timeframe, rather than merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to recognize recent usage: Drugs become apparent in hair roughly 5-7 days after consumption.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs compared to alternative drug testing techniques.
• Result disparity: Individual variations in hair color and hair growth affect drug metabolite levels in the hair.

Note: Despite often being called "hair follicle tests", the examination actually involves assessing the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Hamlin, WV

In Hamlin, WV, hair follicle testing offers clear advantages over traditional urine tests. Hair testing reveals a broader window of drug detection, making it a more dependable choice. While urine tests are limited by a shorter detection timeframe, hair tests can uncover substance use spanning up to 90 days, boosting accuracy and reliability significantly.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Hamlin, WV

Hair follicle testing provides a formidable detection window of up to 90 days. This extensive timeframe delivers a thorough overview of an individual's drug history. Employers in Hamlin, WV find this feature invaluable for assessing potential employees, ensuring that those screened have not engaged in substance use for an extended period.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Hamlin, WV

Hair follicle tests are a vital asset in the fight against sample adulteration. Utilizing a tamper-resistant method, they ensure that the integrity of the sample remains intact. Residents and businesses in Hamlin, WV can be confident in receiving indisputable results, which are difficult to compromise or falsify.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Hamlin, WV

With a network of testing centers across the nation, Accredited Drug Testing guarantees convenience for those in Hamlin, WV. Our facilities provide hassle-free access to necessary testing services, ensuring that individuals and companies can swiftly and easily complete required drug tests without delay.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Hamlin, WV

Accredited Drug Testing offers a seamless and discreet process for conducting hair follicle tests in Hamlin, WV. This straightforward procedure addresses privacy concerns at every stage—from ordering and sample collection to receiving results—ensuring ease of use and confidentiality for all clients.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Hamlin, WV

Our competitive pricing and swift turnaround times make hair follicle testing accessible and efficient for businesses of any size. By choosing our services in Hamlin, WV, companies receive excellent value along with the reassurance of timely and dependable results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Hamlin, WV

Hair follicle tests in Hamlin, WV are renowned for their precision and promptness. Their meticulousness in detecting substance use surpasses many other testing methods, ensuring quick and highly accurate results. Individuals and companies rely on these tests for their effectiveness in confirming substance usage histories with unsurpassed accuracy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Hamlin, WV

Employers in Hamlin, WV benefit significantly from hair follicle testing as it ensures compliance with drug-free workplace standards. This testing method reduces legal exposure, promoting safety and peace of mind among workers while enhancing the overall reliability of employment screening processes.

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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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