Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Altoona, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as a significant method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended history of alcohol and drug usage by capturing biomarkers in the hair's growing strand fibers. When samples are taken near the scalp, they can provide roughly a 3-month detection window for drugs and alcohol. The collection process is straightforward, tampering is relatively challenging, and shipping is convenient.

Collecting a 1.5-inch sample of approximately 200 hairs (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp results in 100mg, which is the optimal amount for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests beyond 10 panels, then 150mg is advised. We suggest measuring the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair may be obtained. When we mention head hair, we exclusively mean scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The four primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the sample's initial processing into a lab’s system. This step verifies the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary rapid check for drugs of abuse. It serves as a cost-effective means to exclude drug use in most samples, but a positive screen must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Samples with presumptive positives in Screening need further confirmation.

If a screening result is presumptively positive, more hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at a considerably lower concentration compared to other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing a challenging methodology to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation according to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, exceeding the shorter detection period of urine tests.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is quite difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Historic data provided: It can show a drug use pattern across time, not just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often more costly than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Factors like hair color and personal hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Even though frequently termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Altoona, WI
In comparison to traditional urine tests, hair follicle testing shines in terms of superior detection accuracy. In Altoona, WI, hair tests can identify drug use over a much more extended period, offering reliability and precision that urine tests can't match.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Altoona, WI
The ability of hair follicle tests to recognize drug use over a prolonged period, up to 90 days, makes it indispensable in Altoona, WI. This extended window provides employers with a detailed understanding of a person's substance use history, enhancing decision-making processes.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Altoona, WI
Hair follicle testing stands out in Altoona, WI, due to its resistance to sample tampering. The process ensures accurate, trustworthy results, significantly lowering the risk of adulteration and offering reliable assurance to employers and legal authorities alike.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Altoona, WI
With extensive coverage in Altoona, WI, and across the nation, our testing centers guarantee easy access to services. This wide-reaching availability ensures quick and convenient testing, minimizing any disruptions to your schedule.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Altoona, WI
In Altoona, WI, our hair testing procedure is designed to be straightforward and discreet. From ordering to results, the entire process ensures privacy and confidentiality, providing peace of mind for clients at every step.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Altoona, WI
Our services in Altoona, WI, promise competitive pricing and swift results, making hair follicle testing both cost-effective and time-efficient. Companies benefit from the excellent value provided while enjoying rapid, reliable outcomes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Altoona, WI
Hair follicle drug tests are known for their precision and swift results. In Altoona, WI, these tests provide clear, accurate detection of substance use, making them a top choice for reliability. With advanced technology, results are delivered promptly, ensuring immediate insights for stakeholders.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Altoona, WI
Employers in Altoona, WI, benefit from the peace of mind that hair follicle testing provides in enforcing drug-free policies. Compliant testing methods help reduce legal liabilities and promote a safer workplace, aligning with zero-tolerance initiatives.

Drug Testing Near Altoona, WI

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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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