Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Combined Locks, WI

What it is, How it works

Seen as a potent method for discovering drug and alcohol usage, hair testing captures a historical view of substance use by trapping biomarkers within the strands. When taken from near the scalp, it can reveal alcohol and drug use dating back up to roughly 90 days. The collection process is straightforward, with minimal chances for tampering, and shipping is uncomplicated.

To acquire the ideal sample weight of 100mg for analysis, a 1.5-inch segment composed of 200 strands of hair (about the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp should be retrieved. For tests like EtG or those beyond 10 panels, 150mg is suggested. It's best to confirm the weight using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, a similar amount of body hair may be used. Head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other variants (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

The Accessioning step entails the initial sample integration into a lab’s system, ensuring proper sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any left-out data entry absent from the electronic chain of custody.

In the Screening phase, a preliminary test identifies potential drug abuse. While Screening offers an economical method to dismiss drug usage for most cases, legal validity requires confirming any positive results. Samples with positive Screening outcomes must go through further confirmation.

For samples identified as presumptively positive during Screening, more hair is retrieved and readied for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are drawn out at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), presenting hair drug testing as the most challenging practice to execute.

Confirmatory tests for positive Screening results employ techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Before confirmation, any presumptive positives undergo washing as necessary. Each lab process step, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is subject to scrutiny under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited in line with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests reveal drug use up to 90 days back, unlike urine tests, which cover a shorter timespan.
• Challenges in test manipulation: Tampering with a hair drug test is quite difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Historical insights: Provides a consumption pattern analysis over time, beyond just recent activities.

Limitations:

• Detection gap for recent intake: Drugs take about 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Higher cost: Typically, hair drug testing is pricier than alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is often used, but it indeed analyzes the hair strand instead of the sub-scalp hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When contrasted with traditional urine tests, hair follicle testing in Combined Locks, WI, emerges superior. These tests offer enhanced detection accuracy and reliability, marking them advantageous for identifications over urine testing.

• A significant benefit is the extended detection window, capable of identifying usage for up to 90 days.
• Additionally, hair tests are more resistant to alteration, yielding dependable results.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection capabilities of hair follicle testing are unrivaled in Combined Locks, WI. A vital advantage is the ability to detect drug use up to 90 days, providing employers a comprehensive substance use history.

• This longer window aids in accurate drug history screening for both applicants and employees.
• Employers can make informed decisions, boosting workplace safety and integrity.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests considerably mitigate the threat of adulteration, ensuring reliable outcomes in Combined Locks, WI. The tamper-resistant nature of these tests yields credence to their efficacy.

• With less opportunity for sample tampering, test results stay credible and valid.
• Employers gain assurance in their drug testing programs, supporting their zero-tolerance policies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Combined Locks, WI, Accredited Drug Testing ensures easy access to services with convenient nationwide and local testing locations. This allows for a straightforward approach to hair follicle testing.

• Nationwide coverage means accessible, prompt service is always within reach.
• Local facilities ensure quick, hassle-free testing without long waiting times.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair testing in Combined Locks, WI, is straightforward, maintaining both simplicity and confidentiality. Offering an uncomplicated approach ensures user-friendliness and privacy.

• Initiating tests is easy, requiring minimal procedures for individuals.
• Confidential handling of results alleviates privacy concerns, ensuring a secure environment.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Combined Locks, WI, benefits from affordable pricing and prompt results via hair follicle testing. Our competitive pricing caters to companies of all sizes, offering excellent value.

• Speedy turnaround times guarantee timely result delivery, supporting swift decision-making processes.
• Cost-effective options provide value, encouraging broad adoption across various workplace settings.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Combined Locks, WI, hair follicle drug tests are revered for their fast, accurate, and reliable detection. Known for their high precision, they identify substance use with excellent accuracy, establishing confidence in results among employers and other professionals.

• Precision in results is paramount, ensuring that accurate detection becomes the norm.
• Speed in delivery of results aids timely decision-making in professional environments, making it an essential tool.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers opting for hair follicle tests in Combined Locks, WI, secure compliance with workplace drug-free mandates, promoting safety. By reducing legal risks, these tests assure peace of mind.

• The availability of reliable results aids legal defensibility, easing employer responsibilities.
• Enhancing workplace safety is seamless, supporting a secure 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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