Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Buffalo City, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair examinations are recognized as an effective technique for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term record of alcohol and substances by encapsulating biomarkers in the fibers of the hair as it grows. When acquired near the scalp, hair offers up to a roughly 3-month detection span for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and easily transported.

A 1.5-inch piece of around 200 strands of hair (approximating a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, the optimal amount for screening and verification. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. We advocate weighing the sample on a jeweler's scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, a comparable quantity of body hair can be gathered. When addressing head hair, we mean only scalp hair. Body hair pertains to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The core steps in the laboratory handling of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial intake of a sample into a lab's system. This entails ensuring that the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, generating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and concluding any additional data input not available from an electronic chain of custody mechanism.

Screening entails a preliminary swift assessment for substances of abuse. Though Screening offers an economical means to preclude drug use in most samples, a positive result must be confirmed to be legally valid. Any samples suggested positive in Screening necessitate a follow-up confirmation.

If a sample is indicated as positive in the Screening phase, more hair is drawn from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. In this phase, substances are extracted from hair at a lower concentration compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), thus hair drug screening presents the most challenging methodology.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All indicated positive samples are cleansed beforehand as necessary. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is overseen under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 certification.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a briefer detection period.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is very difficult, ensuring more accurate results.
• Offers historical insight: It provides a timeline of drug usage over an interval, not only recent use.

Limitations:

• Cannot reveal recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to be noticeable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are usually pricier than other testing approaches.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: While frequently termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle testing to traditional urine tests in Buffalo City, WI, the advantages of hair testing become apparent. Hair tests stand out with their superior detection accuracy and reliability, providing a more extensive overview of drug use history. Unlike urine tests, which may overlook long-term usage, hair testing provides a more comprehensive and reliable option.

Extended Detection Window

In Buffalo City, WI, the extended detection window of hair follicle testing is an invaluable resource for employers. With the ability to detect drug use over a period of up to 90 days, this method offers a thorough assessment of an individual's substance history, ensuring a clearer view of potential risks within the workforce.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Buffalo City, WI, is a tamper-resistant method, significantly reducing the risk of sample adulteration. Thanks to the meticulous collection process, the results are reliable and beyond dispute, providing peace of mind to employers aiming for integrity and accuracy in drug testing.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide testing centers, including those in Buffalo City, WI, accessing hair testing services is both quick and hassle-free. This widespread availability ensures that individuals and companies can easily have their testing needs met without any operational disruptions.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Buffalo City, WI, is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering tests to receiving results, each step is crafted to protect privacy and ensure ease of use, addressing any concerns related to confidentiality and operational simplicity.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing and fast turnaround times in Buffalo City, WI. This affordability ensures excellent value for companies, regardless of size, making it possible to maintain cost-effective and efficient drug testing programs without sacrificing quality or timeliness.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision of hair follicle drug tests in detecting substance use is unmatched. In Buffalo City, WI, these tests offer fast and accurate results, ensuring employers receive a reliable evaluation of an individual's drug history. The swift and precise nature of hair follicle testing makes it a preferred solution for timely and dependable outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Buffalo City, WI benefit from hair follicle testing's ability to enforce drug-free workplace policies effectively. This method aids in compliance, reduces legal liabilities, and enhances workplace safety, offering employers a sense of assurance and security regarding their drug testing protocols.

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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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