Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Sardis, WV

What it is, How it works

Hair examinations have emerged as a potent method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a prolonged record of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When gathered near the scalp, hair offers nearly a three-month detection range for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to gather, resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion of roughly 200 hair strands (equivalent to the girth of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the optimal sample for analysis and verification. For EtG tests, enhancements, or examinations beyond 10 panels, a 150mg portion is advised. It is suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is absent, a similar quantity of body hair may be utilized. When mentioning head hair, it specifically pertains to scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types such as facial and axillary.

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step wherein a sample is integrated into a lab’s system. This process ensures the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any further data entry missing from the electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary rapid assessment for drugs. While cost-effective for eliminating drug use in most samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court proceedings. Samples indicating a potential positive result in Screening must undergo further validation.

When a sample appears positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. Drugs are isolated from hair at lower concentrations than other methods (such as urine or saliva), rendering hair drug screening the most challenging methodology.

Validation of any positive screen is performed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples indicating potential positivity are cleansed before verification. The comprehensive process from Accessioning to Verification is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and aligned with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection range: Hair drug tests can identify drug usage for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a briefer detection period.
• Challenge to manipulate: It is quite challenging to deceive a hair drug test, resulting in more reliable findings.
• Reveals usage pattern: It reflects a history of drug consumption over time, beyond just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: Drugs become traceable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs compared to other testing techniques.
• Result fluctuation: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", this test evaluates the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Sardis, WV, surpasses traditional urine testing by offering stronger detection accuracy and reliability. This method excels with a broader detection window and ensures minimal chances of tampering, making it a favorable choice for employers needing trustworthy drug screening solutions over conventional urine methods.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle drug testing provides a greatly extended detection window, assessing up to 90 days of drug use history. In Sardis, WV, this comprehensive analysis allows employers to thoroughly evaluate an applicant or employee's previous substance use, offering a long-term view that urine tests cannot achieve.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Sardis, WV, significantly minimize the possibility of sample adulteration, offering reliable and unquestionable results. Its robust testing method is a deterrent against tampering, ensuring the outcomes are trustworthy and genuinely reflective of a person's substance use history.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our extensive network of testing centers across the nation, including convenient sites in Sardis, WV, guarantees quick and straightforward access to hair follicle drug testing services. This nationwide reach ensures a hassle-free and efficient process for individuals requiring testing.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Sardis, WV, the hair follicle testing process is designed to be simple and confidential. Ordering, conducting, and receiving results is user-friendly, addressing privacy concerns while maintaining ease of access for individuals requiring thorough drug screening.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, our hair follicle drug testing services in Sardis, WV, offer excellent value. This ensures peace of mind for companies of all sizes, offering an affordable and efficient solution without compromising on the quality of service provided.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Sardis, WV, hair follicle drug tests are known for their rapid and detailed results. Precision and speed are critical advantages, offering detection of substance use with exceptional accuracy. This analysis method stands out by delivering trustworthy results promptly, unmatched in terms of clarity and reliability when compared to alternative testing forms.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Sardis, WV, gain a sense of security with hair follicle testing, ensuring compliance with drug-free workplace policies. It reduces legal risks and enhances safety, providing peace of mind to businesses by confirming the integrity of their workforce through reliable testing.

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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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