Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Kennan, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is now recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol usage. The fibers of the developing hair strand capture biomarkers, providing a prolonged history of alcohol and drug presence. When sourced near the scalp, hair can offer an approximate detection range of 3 months for substances. It's easy to collect, somewhat resistant to tampering, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hair strands (about the diameter of a #2 pencil) close to the scalp yields 100mg, the preferred sample for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of hair is advised. Using a jeweler’s scale is recommended for weighing the sample. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent portion of body hair may be used. References to head hair pertain solely to scalp hair, whereas body hair includes all other types (like facial or axillary).

Process Overview

The drug test processing in the lab encompasses four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the first step of introducing a sample into the lab’s system. This step ensures the sample is sealed and sent correctly, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills any missing data not supplied by an electronic chain of custody protocol.

Screening conducts an initial rapid assay for substance presence. Though Screening is a budget-friendly approach to excluding drug use in many samples, a positive indication requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples testing presumptive positive during Screening necessitate further verification.

Should a sample test presumptively positive in Screening, an additional portion of hair is taken from the original sample for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at much lower concentrations than in other practices (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most complex methodology.

Positive screening confirmations are performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples with presumptive positives are cleansed prior to confirmation as necessary. The complete lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which offer a narrower timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating on a hair drug test is highly challenging, ensuring more precise outcomes.
• Offers historical insight: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: There's a 5-7 day delay before drugs become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests usually incur greater costs than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth variations can impact drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Kennan, WI, hair follicle testing offers distinct advantages over traditional urine tests. With its superior detection capabilities, hair testing can identify drug use occurring up to 90 days prior, whereas urine tests offer a much shorter window of detection. Employers benefit from the extended visibility provided by hair tests, which detail a person's long-term substance history.

Hair testing is highly reliable, as it is conducted in a controlled environment, reducing the chance for tampering that can affect urine tests. By offering better accuracy and broad coverage, hair testing becomes the preferred choice for workplaces upholding strict drug-free policies.

Extended Detection Window

In Kennan, WI, the extended detection window of hair follicle testing distinguishes it from other methods. This test can reveal drug usage up to 90 days prior, offering a longer-term depiction of an individual's substance use. Employers find this beneficial for evaluating the candidate's behavior over time.

This prolonged detection period allows for a comprehensive review of an employee or prospect's drug consumption history, elevating the credibility and depth of pre-employment screenings. It ensures a thorough understanding of long-term substance habits, imperative for roles requiring high levels of trust and safety.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Employers in Kennan, WI, appreciate the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle tests. Unlike urine testing, which is susceptible to adulteration, hair testing ensures sample integrity with its rigorous collection process. This provides trustworthy and authentic results that are robust against manipulation.

By mitigating risks associated with tampering, hair tests offer a reliable evaluation that businesses can confidently rely on. This reliability ensures organizations maintain stringent drug-free environments, critical for maintaining safety and productivity standards within the workforce.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Offering convenience in Kennan, WI, Accredited Drug Testing has testing centers distributed nationwide, ensuring easy access to their services. This extensive network guarantees clients can access testing swiftly, without hassle, wherever they may be located.

Locally and nationally available, testing centers bridge geographical barriers and simplify the process for individuals and businesses. The reliable, hassle-free access ensures that testing is not an obstacle but an accommodating part of ensuring workplace safety and compliance.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Kennan, WI, the hair follicle testing process is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering the test to taking it and receiving the results, every step is straightforward, assuring users of an easy-to-navigate experience. Accredited Drug Testing prioritizes client privacy, ensuring absolute discretion.

The streamlined process reduces anxiety associated with testing, allowing individuals and employers alike to engage with the testing process effortlessly, knowing that their privacy is paramount and results are provided securely and confidentially.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Kennan, WI, provides affordable testing options paired with fast turnaround times. Designed to suit budgets of all sizes, our pricing structure ensures companies, big and small, can engage in essential drug screening without financial strain.

Combined with competitive rates, the swift return of results provides great value for those looking to ensure safety and compliance. It demonstrates how premium quality services and access to reliable deterrents against substance misuse can be accessible and cost-effective.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Within Kennan, WI, hair follicle drug testing is celebrated for its fast and accurate results. This method efficiently identifies substance use, offering a combination of prompt processing and high precision. Hair testing is renowned for precisely detecting drug levels, ensuring dependability and reliability in results.

Thanks to its streamlined processes, hair testing provides quick outcomes, minimizing wait times for individuals and organizations. This rapid turnaround time allows employers to make informed decisions swiftly, maintaining workplace integrity and safety with meticulously accurate findings.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Ensuring compliance is vital for employers in Kennan, WI, and hair follicle testing supports this need by aligning with drug-free policies. By implementing such testing, employers can safeguard their workplace, significantly reducing potential legal and security risks associated with substance use.

Hair testing offers peace of mind by delivering thorough results that guard against drug misuse, maintaining a safe and productive atmosphere for all employees. It represents a proactive approach that minimizes liabilities and underscores a company’s commitment to health and safety.

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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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