Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Boulder Junction, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly viewed as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands capture biomarkers within their fibers, offering an extended history of substance use. When taken close to the scalp, hair samples can reflect up to a three-month window for detecting drugs and alcohol. The process of collecting hair is straightforward, less prone to tampering, and facilitates easy transportation.

A sample size of 1.5 inches, consisting of approximately 200 hair strands (similar to the diameter of a #2 pencil), yields 100mg of hair, which is ideal for screening and confirmation tests. For EtG, tests with additional panels, or those exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. It's best to use a jeweler’s scale to weigh the specimen. In cases where scalp hair is not available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. Head hair refers specifically to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (like facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The lab processing of drug test results includes four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample undergoes initial processing within the lab system. This ensures the sample remains sealed and properly shipped, a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number) is designated, and any necessary data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody is performed.

Screening acts as a preliminary check for drugs of abuse. While this step is a cost-effective mechanism to rule out drug use in most cases, positive screenings require confirmation for court admissibility. Any sample preliminarily identified as positive in Screening must undergo a secondary confirmation process.

For samples deemed presumptively positive in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the primary specimen for the Extraction phase. Here, the concentration of drugs is retrieved from the hair at much lower levels than other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), establishing hair drug screening as the most challenging method to execute.

GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS perform Confirmation of any positive screens. Before confirmation, all presumptive positive samples undergo washing as necessary. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning through Confirmation is audited under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation as well as aligned with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug testing can reveal drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that offer a shorter detection timeframe.
• Challenging to falsify: The nature of hair drug testing makes it hard to tamper with, leading to more reliable outcomes.
• Insights into usage patterns: This method can display substance usage trends over time, beyond recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot capture recent usage: It requires approximately 5-7 days for drugs to become identifiable in hair.
• Higher cost: Hair drug testing is typically more expensive compared to other drug detection methods.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and personal hair growth differences may influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Though frequently called "hair follicle tests", the procedure evaluates the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Boulder Junction, WI

Despite urine tests being a traditional method, hair testing stands out with superior detection accuracy. The ability to unveil a detailed substance history makes hair testing more reliable, providing a clearer picture of drug use patterns.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Boulder Junction, WI

Hair follicle testing uniquely detects drug use over a lengthy period, up to 90 days. This provides employers in Boulder Junction a comprehensive view of an individual's substance history, essential for informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Boulder Junction, WI

Hair follicle tests greatly decrease the likelihood of sample tampering. Their design ensures reliable and undisputable results, increasing the integrity of drug testing processes conducted in Boulder Junction.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Boulder Junction, WI

Our network of nationwide testing centers facilitates convenient and hassle-free access to services, offering quick and easy solutions across and beyond Boulder Junction, ensuring all testing needs are met efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Boulder Junction, WI

With a straightforward, confidential testing process, clients can seamlessly order, take, and receive results. We prioritize privacy and ease of use, ensuring that the entire procedure remains stress-free.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Boulder Junction, WI

Boasting competitive pricing and expedient turnaround times, our services deliver excellent value for companies of all sizes. We prioritize cost-effectiveness while ensuring high-quality outcomes in Boulder Junction.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Boulder Junction, WI

Hair follicle tests offer precision and speed in detecting substances. Their high accuracy allows for trustworthy results in Boulder Junction, WI. The process efficiently identifies drug use, helping entities ensure a drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Boulder Junction, WI

Employers adhering to drug-free workplace policies benefit from hair testing, ensuring compliance, mitigating legal risks, and enhancing safety. This method offers peace of mind and security within the workplace.

Drug Testing Near Boulder Junction, 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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