Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Lyons, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair can capture biomarkers within the growing hair fiber, giving a long-term overview of substance use. When taken near the scalp, hair offers up to a 3-month detection period for alcohol and drugs. It's straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch hair sample, consisting of roughly 200 strands (about the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp, yields 100mg of hair, the perfect quantity for both screening and validation. For EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of hair is preferable. We advise using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent body hair amount can be used. “Head hair” refers to scalp hair only, whereas “body hair” encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary steps in lab processing a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning initiates the processing of a sample into a lab's system. This step verifies correct sealing and shipment of the sample, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and includes any further data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides an initial rapid assessment for drug abuse. While it's a cost-efficient measure to dismiss drug use across most samples, a positive screen must be confirmed to hold in court. Any samples appearing positive in Screening require subsequent confirmation.

If results from the Screening phase are positive, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for further Extraction. During this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at substantially lower concentrations compared to other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which makes hair drug screening one of the hardest methodologies.

Verification of any positive screening outcome is done using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Any samples preliminarily positive are cleaned prior to confirmation as needed. The full lab progress from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and is ISO / IEC 17025 certified.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair drug tests can reveal drug use over a 90-day period, unlike urine tests which have narrower detection limits.
• Challenge to falsify: It's quite hard to trick a hair drug test, ensuring more precise results.
• Historical insights: It identifies a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent intake.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair typically within 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are often more costly than other drug detection approaches.
• Result variability: Aspects like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can affect drug metabolite concentrations.

Note: Although termed as "hair follicle tests", the evaluation focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle at the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Lyons, WI centers around its superior detection accuracy. Hair tests outmatch traditional urine tests by offering a broader detection window, identifying drug use up to 90 days prior. This provides a more reliable picture of an individual's substance history. For employers committed to upholding rigorous standards, choosing hair testing ensures peace of mind and comprehensive screening.

Extended Detection Window

The Extended Detection Window in Lyons, WI with hair follicle testing offers a comprehensive view of a person's substance history. Capable of recognizing drug use over 90 days, it aids employers in understanding a candidate or employee's behaviors. This broad scope empowers businesses in making informed decisions, enhancing the quality and safety of their workforce.
Employers gain a deeper understanding of long-term patterns with this in-depth approach.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Lyons, WI, significantly curtails the risk of sample tampering that is more common in other methods. Hair follicle tests are robust against adulteration, offering trustworthy and credible results. This reassures employers about the authenticity of the outcomes, aiding in building a foolproof line of defense against any attempt at deception.
Companies demanding authenticity rely on these tests for their unmatched reliability.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations make accessing services in Lyons, WI seamless and stress-free. With a wide network of testing centers, scheduling a visit is hassle-free, ensuring quick service with minimal disruption. This accessibility guarantees that companies and individuals can obtain testing services wherever they may be, reinforcing our commitment to customer ease and satisfaction.
Local and national availability simplifies logistics for everyone.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Lyons, WI, ensures privacy and ease when dealing with hair follicle testing. The streamlined process of ordering, undergoing, and receiving test results is designed to ease user concerns about confidentiality and convenience. Companies and individuals alike find this method accessible, preserving the dignity and privacy of each participant.
This method prioritizes user experience, ensuring a seamless transaction.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Lyons, WI, offer exceptional value for businesses of all sizes. With budget-friendly options and speedy results, hair follicle testing presents a cost-effective solution for maintaining a drug-free workplace without financial strain. Companies gain the benefit of reliable testing while managing resources effectively.
Quick responses and competitive pricing enhance trust in the service's capability.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Lyons, WI are a hallmark of hair follicle drug tests. This method delivers speed and precision, emphasizing high accuracy in substance detection. Its reliability makes it a preferred choice for companies focusing on maintaining safety and efficiency, easing the worry about potential drug use among current or prospective employees.
Employers seeking assurance in test results often turn to this method to guarantee the integrity of their workforce.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Using hair follicle testing in Lyons, WI provides Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers. This method ensures adherence to drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal risks and boosting safety. Hair tests offer reliability that employers trust to maintain compliant operations while protecting their workforce and company interests.
Ensuring a safe and responsible environment becomes easier with dependable testing protocols.

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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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