Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Laona, WI

What it is, How it works

Regarded as a potent means of detecting drug and alcohol consumption, hair testing offers a long-term record of alcohol and drug use by retaining biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When collected close to the scalp, hair can supply an approximately 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. Collection is straightforward, adulteration is somewhat challenging, and shipping is convenient.

A 1.5-inch sample comprising roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil size) closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the optimal sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is advised. It's beneficial to weigh the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is lacking, a similar quantity of body hair can be utilized. Head hair refers strictly to scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four key phases in the laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial entry of a sample into a laboratory’s system. This process confirms that the sample has been properly sealed and shipped, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and addresses any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary examination for drugs of abuse. While Screening offers a cost-effective way to eliminate drug use for most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples presumptively positive in Screening need a secondary confirmation.

When a sample registers as presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial specimen and prepared for Extraction. At this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations compared to other methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), illustrating why hair drug screening is the most complex methodology.

The confirmation of any positive screening outcome is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The complete laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is conducted under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and is accredited in compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can uncover drug use up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection period.
• Challenging to manipulate: Cheating on hair drug tests is extremely difficult, enhancing the accuracy of results.
• Chronological data provision: It offers insight into drug use patterns over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of recent detection: Drugs typically take about 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests usually cost more than alternative drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and individual hair growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Despite being frequently labeled as "hair follicle tests," the examination focuses on the hair strand itself, not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Laona, WI offers unmatched advantages over traditional urine tests. The comprehensive detection window of hair testing provides superior accuracy and reliability in identifying substance use history.

Unlike urine tests which capture drug use over a short period, hair testing in Laona accounts for up to 90 days, making it ideal for thorough screening, ensuring your workplace remains drug-free.

Extended Detection Window

In Laona, WI, hair follicle testing excels with its extended detection period, spanning up to 90 days. This long window captures a more accurate substance use history for employers.

Employers in Laona gain a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s substance habits, allowing informed hiring decisions and promoting safety in the workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Using hair follicle tests in Laona, WI significantly minimizes the risk of sample tampering, making this method highly reliable. The integrity of the testing process is maintained, providing results that are trustworthy.

This tamper-resistant nature of hair tests ensures that employers and professionals can rely on the authenticity of the findings, promoting a fair analysis environment in Laona.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With testing centers available nationwide, including in Laona, WI, accessing drug testing services is convenient and hassle-free. Accredited Drug Testing ensures testing sites are easily accessible for all clients.

The widespread availability of locations allows individuals and employers to manage their testing needs efficiently without the stress of distance or delays, streamlining the process in Laona.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Laona, WI, the process of hair follicle testing is simple and confidential, designed to respect privacy while ensuring ease. From ordering to taking the tests, and finally receiving results, the process is seamless.

Accredited Drug Testing prioritizes confidentiality, ensuring that users in Laona experience peace of mind at every stage of the drug testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing structures, our hair follicle testing in Laona, WI provides superior value. The quick turnaround times enhance the service, meeting the needs of companies efficiently.

Businesses benefit from affordable rates and swift service, ensuring drug testing does not become a financial burden while maintaining high standards of testing in Laona.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Laona, WI, hair follicle drug testing stands out for its remarkable precision and rapid results. This testing method ensures highly accurate detection of substance use, taking the guesswork out of drug testing.

The speed of obtaining results from hair testing offers swift action, vital for decision-making processes. The reliability inherent in the method eliminates errors, delivering fast and trustworthy results every time.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing supports compliance with drug-free workplace policies in Laona, WI, offering employers peace of mind while reducing legal risks. This method enhances workplace safety and legal compliance effortlessly.

Employers benefit from this robust testing method, ensuring their environments are safe and aligning with broader regulatory standards, promoting a secure professional space.

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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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