Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lime Ridge, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a highly effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. By trapping biomarkers within the fibers of a growing hair strand, hair offers a long-term history of alcohol and other drugs. When taken near the scalp, hair can provide a detection window for alcohol and drugs of up to approximately 3 months. Hair is easy to collect, less prone to tampering, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of about 200 hair strands (comparable in size to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the sample is advised. We recommend using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is not obtainable, a similar quantity of body hair may be used. Head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, whereas body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four primary steps in processing a drug test result in the laboratory: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial step of processing a sample within a lab system. This step entails checking that the sample was properly sealed and transported, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any additional data entry not available in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides a quick preliminary test for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical approach for ruling out drug use in most samples, positive screens require confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that screen positive in Screening necessitate a secondary confirmation.

If a sample screens positive in the Screening stage, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. At this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at much lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening presents the greatest challenge.

Confirmation of positive screening results is performed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Every presumptive positive sample is washed as needed before confirmation. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and compliance with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Difficult to tamper with: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely difficult, enhancing result accuracy.
• Tracks usage patterns: It reveals drug usage patterns over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Does not capture recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be costlier than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Drug metabolite concentrations can be affected by factors like hair color and personalized hair growth differences.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the test actually examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Lime Ridge, WI, hair follicle testing outshines traditional urine tests primarily due to its broader detection range and reliability. While urine tests may detect recent drug use, hair tests unveil usage over a prolonged period, offering insights that urine tests miss. This superior detection ability is crucial for employers and courts focused on maintaining drug-free environments.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing provides an extended detection window in Lime Ridge, WI, capturing drug use data up to 90 days prior. This prolonged timeframe empowers employers to trace an individual’s substance history thoroughly, making informed employment decisions. By revealing long-term usage patterns, hair testing offers a more accurate picture than other testing methods.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Lime Ridge, WI, tamper-resistant testing is achieved through hair follicle analysis, which substantially minimizes the chance of altering samples. The method’s inherent design makes it nearly impossible to adulterate, ensuring that the results are trustworthy and dependable for all stakeholders relying on authentic outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Lime Ridge, WI, we offer convenient nationwide testing locations, facilitating quick access to services. This extensive network simplifies the testing process for clients by providing local sites, ensuring that individuals and employers benefit from seamless, hassle-free testing procedures no matter their location.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process in Lime Ridge, WI is both simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, the steps are straightforward, emphasizing privacy and ease of use. Individuals can trust that their information is handled discreetly, making the testing experience smooth and unobtrusive.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Lime Ridge, WI, we offer affordable pricing and fast turnaround on hair follicle testing. Our competitive prices provide significant value for employers of all sizes, while swift result delivery ensures timely responses, making our services both cost-effective and highly efficient.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle drug tests in Lime Ridge, WI, are known for their fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision of the results stems from detecting even the smallest traces of substances, ensuring that users can't easily circumvent the test. Additionally, these tests provide quick turnaround times, enabling faster decision-making processes for employers and organizations reliant on timely and exact data.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Lime Ridge, WI provides employers with compliance and peace of mind by supporting drug-free workplace policies. This method curtails legal challenges and enhances safety by offering reliable substance abuse insights, reinforcing employers' commitment to a secure and healthy work 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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