Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Arlington, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. This procedure captures long-term consumption history by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair shaft as it grows. Sampling at the scalp can offer a detection span of up to three months for various substances. Hair is straightforward to obtain, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands, comparable in size to a #2 pencil, taken closest to the scalp ensures a 100mg sample, optimal for testing and validation. For EtG, add-ons, and tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advisable. It's suggested to measure the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, equivalent body hair can be collected. "Head hair" specifically denotes scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other types such as facial or axillary hair.

Process Overview

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

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a sample into the lab’s system, which involves confirming the sample's proper sealing and shipping and assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), while completing any remaining data input absent in an electronic custody chain system.

Screening is a preliminary assessment for drug presence. Though a cost-efficient way to exclude drug intake in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed for legal admissibility. Samples with preliminary positive results in Screening require secondary verification.

Upon a preliminary positive at the Screening stage, additional hair from the sample is prepped for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at lower levels than found in other methods like urine or oral fluid, highlighting why hair drug assessment is more intricate.

Confirmation of positive screenings is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples testing presumptive positive undergo washing ahead of confirmation where necessary. The entire lab workflow from Accessioning through to Confirmation undergoes scrutiny under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Capable of identifying drug use for as long as 90 days, in contrast to urine tests with a shorter range.
• Difficult to manipulate: The results are more precise as it's hard to alter a hair drug test.
• Yields historical use data: It illustrates a timeline of drug intake, not just the most recent instances.

Limitations:

• No detection of recent usage: Drugs are identifiable in hair after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than alternative methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual growth differences can impact metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: While often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand, excluding the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Arlington, WI offers substantial advantages over traditional urine tests. The precision and reliability of these tests significantly enhance the detection accuracy, capturing substance use that urine tests might overlook.

The superior detection capabilities of hair tests are crucial. By offering a more extensive focus on substance use, these tests provide a clearer and more complete insight than the standard urine tests, cementing their importance in thorough drug screening.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing, available in Arlington, WI, excels with its extended detection timeframe. This method tracks drug usage over up to 90 days, delivering a detailed examination of an individual's substance history.

Providing a broader window for detecting drug use, hair tests grant employers a comprehensive understanding of an employee's or prospective hire's past substance activities, surpassing the capabilities of other testing methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The hair follicle testing method is renowned in Arlington, WI for its tamper-resistant nature. This approach reduces the likelihood of sample interference, making the results both trustworthy and unquestionable.

By utilizing hair follicles, this testing minimizes adulteration risks that might affect urine tests, ensuring that the outcomes are secure and credible—a vital quality for anyone requiring dependable drug testing results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Arlington, WI, finding convenient testing locations is effortless with our nationwide centers. Accredited Drug Testing offers broad access to testing services, ensuring that wherever you are, a testing location is easily reachable, providing quick and hassle-free service.

With a focus on accessibility, numerous local and national sites are ready to cater to all testing needs, making the process smooth and efficient for every client in the area and beyond.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simplicity and confidentiality define the process of hair follicle testing in Arlington, WI. From ordering the test to obtaining the results, the procedure is streamlined and discreet, addressing privacy concerns efficiently.

The ease of navigating through the steps involved in hair testing guarantees that users experience a straightforward and secure way to access necessary services without compromising on privacy or convenience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, our hair follicle testing services in Arlington, WI provide exceptional value. Companies of all scales can benefit from the economical pricing models we've set, ensuring affordability.

Our rapid result delivery, combined with reasonable costs, highlights the value-focused approach tailored for businesses seeking effective and budget-friendly drug testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

For fast, precise, and trustworthy results in Arlington, WI, hair follicle drug tests stand out. These tests are known for their quick processing and high precision in detecting substance use, ensuring that results are not only accurate but also swiftly available.

The rapid turnaround of hair follicle drug tests is a key advantage, ensuring that individuals and employers get the results they need without delay. This speed in obtaining reliable results is unparalleled, providing peace of mind with prompt and trustworthy outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Arlington, WI helps employers adhere to drug-free workplace policies, bringing a sense of compliance and peace of mind. This practice effectively minimizes legal issues and promotes a safer work environment.

Ensuring policy compliance through hair testing not only safeguards against substance misuse but also enhances workplace harmony, allowing employers to operate with confidence and lesser legal concerns.

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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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