Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Boyceville, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. The hair captures biomarkers within the strands of growing hair, offering an extended history of drug and alcohol usage. When collected near the scalp, hair provides about a 3-month window for detecting alcohol and other substances. Hair collection is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 hairs (similar in width to a #2 pencil) from near the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the preferred amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg sample is suggested. It is advised to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be used. The term "head hair" pertains exclusively to scalp hair. "Body hair" refers to any other hair types such as facial or axillary.

Process Overview

The primary stages in the lab processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning encompasses the initial handling of a sample within a lab system, ensuring proper sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and filling in any missing data not captured by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary evaluation for substances of abuse. This cost-efficient method helps exclude drug use for most samples, but court-acceptable results require confirmation of any positive findings. Any presumptively positive samples in Screening demand secondary confirmation.

When a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, a further sample is taken from the original for Extraction. At this point, drugs are extracted from hair at far lower concentrations than in other tests like urine or oral fluid, making hair testing particularly challenging.

Confirmation of any positive result from Screening is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples presumed positive undergo washing before Confirmation if necessary. The full lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review both under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) designation for Hair and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter range.
• Hard to bypass: It is notably hard to bypass a hair drug test, resulting in more reliable findings.
• Indicates past usage: This method can identify a pattern of drug use over time, rather than just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Does not show recent drug use: Drugs need about 5-7 days before they become traceable in hair.
• Higher cost: Hair drug tests generally come with a higher price tag compared to other testing methods.
• Result consistency issues: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth variations can impact the level of drug metabolites detected in hair.

Note: While commonly known as "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand and not on the hair follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Boyceville, WI, surpasses urine tests due to its superior detection accuracy. The method's veracity makes it reliable, providing detailed insights into an individual's substance history. Compared with traditional urine analysis, hair tests present clear benefits in identifying longer-term drug use patterns.

Extended Detection Window

In Boyceville, WI, hair follicle testing offers an expanded detection period of up to 90 days. This extensive window allows employers comprehensive insights into an individual's history, making it a considerable advantage over other testing methods, which may only cover recent drug usage.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Boyceville, WI, benefits from the tamper-resistant methodology of hair follicle tests. The risk of sample adulteration is drastically minimized, ensuring reliable outcomes that are beyond reproach, making them well-suited for high-stakes environments.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With numerous nationwide centers, including Boyceville, WI, our testing locations offer convenience. Accessing our services is simple, quick, and hassle-free, providing a seamless experience for all clients requiring testing.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Boyceville, WI, our hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential. Clients can easily order, undergo tests, and receive results while ensuring privacy throughout, alleviating concerns about personal data exposure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our services in Boyceville, WI, are competitively priced with quick turnaround times. This combination delivers great value, offering companies of all sizes the opportunity to maintain workplace standards without breaking the bank.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Boyceville, WI, hair follicle drug testing stands out for its speed, precision, and reliability. When identifying substance use, hair testing's accuracy is unparalleled. With swift processing, individuals and employers can count on fast outcomes, making this testing method the preferred choice for accurate results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Boyceville, WI, gain peace of mind through hair follicle testing, which ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies. By minimizing legal risks, this method enhances overall workplace safety and promotes a culture of accountability.

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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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