Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Dundas, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a potent means of detecting substance use, including drugs and alcohol. Hair captures a prolonged history of substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When taken close to the scalp, hair can offer up to a 90-day detection window for drugs and alcohol. It's easy to collect, tough to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A snippet of hair 1.5 inches long, consisting of roughly 200 strands (comparable to the thickness of a #2 pencil), sourced closest to the scalp, yields the optimal 100mg sample for screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg sample is advisable. It's best to weigh the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't an option, collecting the equivalent amount of body hair is acceptable. “Head hair” refers solely to scalp hair, while "Body hair" encompasses all other types such as facial or axillary hair.

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for processing drug test results comprises Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary step, integrating a sample into a lab's system. This step entails confirming the sample's secure seal and transport, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry that's not available through an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is an initial assay for substances. Although it’s a budget-friendly method to eliminate most drug use suspicions, a positive screening must undergo confirmation for legal acceptability. Samples that test presumptively positive during Screening require further verification.

Should Screening render a presumptive positive, additional hair is obtained from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drug extraction from hair is performed at significantly lower concentrations than seen in alternative methodologies like urine or oral fluid, hence making it the most challenging drug testing methodology.

Any positive result during screening must undergo Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Samples with presumptive positives are washed for Confirmation as necessary. The whole lab process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, undergoes review under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and aligns with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can reveal drug use history for as long as 90 days, unlike urine tests with their shorter detection span.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating is much tougher with hair drug tests, ensuring more reliable results.
• Yields historical usage patterns: It offers an insight into long-term drug use rather than just recent activities.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair after an estimated 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically involve higher costs compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Variables such as hair color and unique growth rates may influence drug metabolite concentrations in the hair.

Note: Commonly dubbed as "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis takes place on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When weighing the pros of hair follicle against urine testing, the former clearly leads in Dundas, WI. Hair tests offer heightened detection accuracy beyond the traditional urine tests. This superiority lies in their ability to spot drug use over a more extended timeframe, providing deep insight into an individual's history.

The unmatched detection precision of hair tests presents a major advantage for employers. Unlike urine tests, which only identify recent use, hair tests reveal long-term substance use patterns, ensuring employers are well-informed.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle drug tests are unmatched in their ability to track substance use history over a prolonged period, in Dundas, WI. These tests provide an extended detection window of up to 90 days, making them invaluable for employers looking for a comprehensive overview of an individual's drug habits.

Employers benefit immensely from this extended detection period as it grants a fuller understanding of an applicant's or employee's drug use history, allowing informed decision-making based on reliable evidence over time.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Dundas, WI, hair follicle testing stands out for its tamper-resistant nature, reducing the possibility of test fraud significantly. With hair samples, the risks of adulteration are nearly eliminated, ensuring trustworthy results.

The observed collection process of hair tests safeguards sample integrity. This method is stringent, making it nearly impossible to alter, thus providing employers with dependable outcomes, crucial for accurate drug screening.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With convenient nationwide and local testing locations, including Dundas, WI, Accredited Drug Testing ensures accessibility and ease. Our centers are designed for quick, hassle-free drug testing experiences.

Geographic reach is a highlight, as local availability coupled with nationwide options ensures that individuals and employers can access testing without undue delay or inconvenience wherever they are.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of ordering, taking, and receiving hair follicle test results in Dundas, WI, is straightforward and confidential. All steps are designed with privacy considerations in mind, offering peace of mind to all participants.

From scheduling to receiving results, each part of the hair testing procedure ensures simplicity and discretion. This approach addresses privacy concerns effectively, guaranteeing ease of use for all involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Dundas, WI, assures affordable rates and fast turnaround times. Our competitive pricing and swift result delivery provide exceptional value, catering to businesses of varied sizes.

For companies in Dundas seeking cost-effective solutions, our pricing structures make hair follicle testing a viable choice. The quick response times further enhance the overall client experience, offering efficient service.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle testing is renowned for its fast, accurate, and reliable results in Dundas, WI. Its precision in identifying substance use is top-tier, making it a superior option. With advanced technology, hair tests provide a holistic view of an individual's drug consumption habits.

Employers insist on hair follicle testing for its swift and dependable detection capabilities. This method ensures a clear and accurate analysis of potential drug use, allowing companies to maintain a drug-free environment efficiently.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Dundas, WI, offers compliance and peace of mind to employers. This testing method helps enforce workplace drug-free policies effectively, mitigating legal risks while boosting overall workplace safety.

Employers in Dundas opting for hair testing can rest assured of aligning with statutory drug policy requirements. This testing method enhances organizational safety, guaranteeing a secure and compliant working 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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