Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Douglas, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as a potent means of identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged record of substance use by embedding biomarkers within the structure of the hair strand as it grows. When gathered near the scalp, it offers a detection period of up to three months for both alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and convenient for transport.

A sample of 1.5 inches consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the girth of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp equates to 100mg, which is optimal for testing and confirmation. For EtG, extra tests, or panels exceeding 10, a sample of 150mg is preferable. We advise utilizing a jeweler’s scale for specimen measurement. If scalp hair isn’t available, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. 'Head hair' denotes scalp hair alone, while 'body hair' encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four crucial phases in processing a drug test in the lab: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves initially entering a sample into the lab's workflow, which includes ensuring the sample was properly sealed and transported, generating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and processing any supplementary data not supplied by an electronic custody system.

Screening performs a preliminary assessment to detect potential drug abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method to identify possible drug use in most cases, any positive screen requires confirmation for legal acceptability. Presumptively positive samples found in Screening need secondary confirmation.

Once a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the primary sample for Extraction. In this process, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations much lower than those in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.

Confirmation of any presumptive positive screen is conducted via methods such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Pre-confirmation, all such samples undergo washing as required. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is subject to review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection timeframe: Hair drug testing can identify drug use for a duration of up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests with shorter detection spans.
• Challenging to tamper: Cheating a hair drug test is very difficult, ensuring more reliable results.
• Reveals usage trends: It illustrates a timeline of drug consumption over an extended period, beyond recent use alone.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to detect immediate use: Drugs become detectable in hair around 5-7 days after use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be costlier than alternative drug testing methods.
• Variance in results: Hair color and individual differences in hair growth rate can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: While commonly called "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Douglas, WI, hair follicle testing outshines urine tests due to its superior detection accuracy. While traditional urine tests remain in use, hair testing provides enhanced reliability.

The primary advantage of hair over urine tests is their longer detection window. Hair tests catch drug use that might be missed by urine tests, highlighting their effectiveness and ensuring that employers are fully aware of an individual's substance history.

Extended Detection Window

With an extended detection window of up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Douglas, WI, offers a comprehensive view of an individual's substance use. This advantage gives employers a better understanding of past drug use.

Employers value hair testing for its ability to reveal long-term substance history, enabling informed hiring decisions by revealing potential patterns of usage.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Douglas, WI, hair follicle tests are known for their tamper-resistant nature. These tests substantially reduce the risk of sample adulteration.

Employers can rely on the authenticity of results from hair testing, offering peace of mind due to the difficulty in tampering or altering these samples, which differentiate it from other methods.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient locations across Douglas, WI, and nationwide. This ensures easy access to testing services.

With our widespread network, we enable quick and hassle-free attendance to drug testing needs, elevating service efficiency and participant satisfaction in Douglas and beyond.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our drug testing process in Douglas, WI, is simple and confidential, keeping privacy concerns in mind. Ordering, taking, and receiving results is straightforward.

With a focus on ease of use, we maintain confidentiality for all clients, ensuring your experience is stress-free while upholding strict privacy standards.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Douglas, WI, benefits from our affordable pricing and fast turnaround in hair follicle drug testing. These aspects deliver exceptional value for organizations of all sizes.

Our competitive pricing structures make high-quality drug testing accessible, while quick result delivery ensures you remain informed without delay.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Douglas, WI, provide fast, accurate, and reliable results. This testing offers high precision in detecting substance use.

The speed and accuracy of hair follicle testing ensure that results are obtained swiftly, maintaining integrity and trust in substance use detection. In Douglas, these tests are known for delivering results that employers and institutions can trust.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Douglas, WI, gain compliance and peace of mind through hair follicle testing. It ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies.

This testing reduces legal risks and boosts workplace safety by offering reliable results that confirm an employee's adherence to company policy, thus maintaining a secure 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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