Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Bohners Lake, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures long-term exposure markers within the fibers of its growing strands. When cut close to the scalp, it can offer a detection span of around three months for alcohol and other substances. Hair is straightforward to gather, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) taken nearest the scalp yields 100mg, which is optimal for both preliminary and confirmatory tests. For EtG, supplementary panels, and tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen size of 150mg is advisable. It's suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be provided, an equivalent volume of body hair is acceptable. Reference to head hair pertains solely to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Synopsis

The processing of a drug testing outcome in a lab involves four principal phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning includes the preliminary intake of a sample into the laboratory workflow. This step involves ensuring the sample’s seal and correct shipment, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplementary data recording absent from an electronic custody system.

Screening includes a preliminary evaluation for substance abuse. While Screening is financially efficient for disproving drug use in most samples, positive results mandate Confirmation to be legally valid. Any presumptive positives require an additional confirmation test.

If the sample appears positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting hair testing as one of the most intricate methodologies.

Confirmation of any positive findings is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positives undergo a pre-confirmation wash as necessary. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Benefits of hair drug analysis:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for up to 90 days, offering a longer detection period than urine tests.
• Impartiality in results: Altering the outcome of a hair drug test is notably difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Chronological data provision: It offers insight into drug usage trends over an extended timeline, not merely recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Incapability to detect recent use: Drugs only become identifiable in hair after 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug evaluations tend to incur higher costs relative to alternative testing approaches.
• Result discrepancies: Variables like hair color and individual growth rates potentially influence metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis focuses on the hair strands and not the underlying follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Bohners Lake, WI
Hair follicle testing provides superior benefits over traditional urine tests. It offers enhanced detection accuracy and greater reliability, making it a preferred choice in many professional and legal settings.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Bohners Lake, WI
One advantage of hair follicle testing is its ability to detect drug use over an extensive period of up to 90 days. This gives employers a more comprehensive assessment of an individual's substance use history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Bohners Lake, WI
Hair follicle tests significantly reduce the chance of sample tampering, delivering reliable and definitive results. This method provides assurance against potential adulteration.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Bohners Lake, WI
Offering an extensive network of testing centers nationwide, we ensure straightforward and hassle-free access to our services, wherever you are.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Bohners Lake, WI
Our easy and private process for ordering, taking, and receiving test results addresses concerns of privacy, providing peace of mind.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Bohners Lake, WI
We offer competitive pricing and quick turnaround times, ensuring excellent value for companies of diverse sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Bohners Lake, WI
Hair follicle drug tests stand out for their precision and swiftness in revealing substance use. These tests provide accurate results that can be trusted, assuring both employers and individuals of the reliability of the findings.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Bohners Lake, WI
Using hair follicle testing aids in upholding workplace drug-free policies, reducing legal liabilities and contributing to a safer work environment.

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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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