Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Hixon, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly viewed as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By capturing biomarkers in the fibers of the hair strand as it grows, hair offers an extended timeline of substance use. When taken near the scalp, hair can reveal a detection window for alcohol and other drugs of up to roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, difficult to tamper with, and easy to transport.

Collecting a 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (roughly the girth of a #2 pencil) from the scalp provides 100mg of hair, which is the ideal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For tests like EtG, additional panels, and those beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the specimen is suggested. If scalp hair isn't present, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. Reference to head hair specifically denotes scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other kinds (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key stages in handling a drug test result in a lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning constitutes the initial sample processing in a lab’s workflow. This step ensures the sample is correctly sealed and shipped, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and concludes any extra data input not covered by a digital chain of custody.

Screening executes an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening offers a cost-efficient method to negate drug usage in most specimens, a positive screen requires confirmation for court admissibility. Presumptive positives from Screening necessitate a secondary validation.

Should a sample test positive in the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and set up for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration level than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug testing the most challenging methodology.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. Any presumptively positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The whole process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized according to both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accreditation under ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can detect drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection span.
• Challenge to deceive: Hair drug tests are notably difficult to cheat, thus producing more reliable results.
• Historical record: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent activity.

Limitations:

• Not for recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after use.
• Higher cost: Hair drug testing is typically more expensive than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Hair color and individual hair growth differences can affect drug metabolite concentration.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis is performed on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Hixon, WI, offers significant advantages over urine tests, including superior detection accuracy and dependability. Compared to urine tests, hair samples are more robust for detecting long-term drug use, as hair captures drug traces for up to 90 days, providing a more complete depiction of an individual’s history and ensuring better policy adherence.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Hixon, WI, allows employers to evaluate drug use over an extensive time frame of up to 90 days. This prolonged detection period offers a clearer understanding of a participant's substance use history, critical for maintaining a drug-free environment in the workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Conducting hair follicle tests in Hixon, WI, drastically lessens adulteration risks, ensuring the results are reliable and valid. The inherent resistance of hair samples to tampering means hair follicle testing is a secure method for verifying drug use, giving employers a higher level of confidence in the outcomes produced.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing boasts numerous convenient nationwide testing locations, including accessible centers in Hixon, WI. With a widespread network, individuals and businesses enjoy seamless access to testing services, facilitating straightforward, hassle-free dependency solutions for all testing needs.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Hixon, WI, ensures a simple and confidential experience for those requiring drug tests. From ordering through result acquisition, our structured approach respects privacy while guaranteeing a straightforward, stress-free procedure. Clients can rely on discretion coupled with ease of use throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Hixon, WI, commits to offering affordable pricing combined with rapid response times. Our competitive pricing models ensure that businesses, regardless of size, can access superior testing services. Swift result delivery enhances value, providing reassurance to all stakeholders involved.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Hixon, WI, the precision of hair follicle drug tests offers unparalleled reliability and speed. These tests provide fast and accurate results, ensuring timely detection of substance use. The meticulous procedures used in hair follicle testing minimize errors, offering consistent, high-stakes outcomes to employers and individuals concerned with substance abuse issues.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Hixon, WI, can achieve compliance and peace of mind by choosing hair follicle testing. This method supports maintaining drug-free workplace policies while reducing legal exposure and increasing safety. By relying on hair tests, businesses reassure stakeholders of their commitment to safety and integrity.

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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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