Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Manawa, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now recognized as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a prolonged account of alcohol and drug exposure by retaining biomarkers within the hair strand’s fibers as it grows. When clipped near to the scalp, hair offers a drug and alcohol detection window of approximately 3 months. Collecting hair is straightforward, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to send off for analysis.

A sample of 1.5 inches, containing roughly 200 hairs (similar to a #2 pencil in size) cut closest to the scalp can yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample size for tests and verification. For EtG, additional analyses, and the examination of more than 10 drug panels, a 150mg sample is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample. If no scalp hair is available, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be sampled. "Head hair" specifically denotes scalp hair, while "body hair" pertains to any other hair types (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The key stages in laboratory drug test processing include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the primary processing of a sample into a lab’s system, ensuring the sample is properly sealed and sent, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any supplementary data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening conducts a quick preliminary drug abuse check. While Screening is an economical way to eliminate drug usage in most samples, a positive result here must be verified to hold up in a legal setting. Samples showing potential positives in Screening will need further confirmation.

When a sample tests potentially positive in Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. This step extracts drugs from hair at concentrations far lower than those used in other methods (such as urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening one of the most challenging methods.

Any positive result from screening is confirmed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Before Confirmation, all samples that show potential positives receive a washing as necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation follows the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards along with accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 criteria.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection period: Hair drug tests can show drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection period.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is very challenging, ensuring higher accuracy in results.
• Historical insight: It offers a timeline of drug consumption rather than just recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent use: It takes around 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Compared with other drug tests, hair drug tests are generally more costly.
• Result variability: Variables like hair color and individual growth rates can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the test examines the hair strand itself, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing drug detection methods in Manawa, WI, hair follicle testing reigns supreme in terms of superior detection accuracy over urine tests. Hair tests offer a longer detection window, typically covering up to 90 days, whereas urine tests are limited.

This extended period allows for a more comprehensive view of drug use, proving to be a more reliable testing method. Employers looking for long-term substance use trends favor hair follicle tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing provides Manawa, WI employers with an extended detection window, capturing drug use up to 90 days prior. This comprehensive history affords employers deeper insights into an individual's substance use behavior.

The ability to look back over several months is invaluable for companies aiming to maintain a drug-free workplace, offering assurance in an employee's substance use history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Manawa, WI are notably tamper-resistant, making them a preferred choice for reliability. The integrity of hair samples is difficult to compromise, ensuring validity.

This resilience against adulteration delivers peace of mind to employers, who can trust the accuracy and credibility of the test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The convenience of nationwide testing locations, including in Manawa, WI, ensures easy accessibility. Accredited Drug Testing centers are strategically placed to provide quick and efficient services.

Local testing facilities offer a seamless experience, minimizing the hassle and allowing individuals to undergo tests with ease, benefiting from proximity and availability.

Simple, Confidential Process

Accredited Drug Testing in Manawa, WI provides a simple and confidential drug testing process. Privacy is prioritized from ordering to receiving results, ensuring user assurance.

Clients can expect a straightforward procedure, protecting their confidentiality and easing concerns regarding data handling.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Manawa, WI, Accredited Drug Testing offers affordable pricing and quick turnaround for hair follicle tests. Businesses benefit from competitive prices that provide excellent value for diverse company sizes.

Fast turnaround times ensure companies receive results swiftly, allowing them to make timely decisions and maintain workplace standards.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Manawa, WI, hair follicle drug tests are lauded for their fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision of these tests ensures the detection of substance use with high accuracy, providing results quickly.

Employers and institutions benefit from the speed of hair testing, receiving definitive outcomes without delay. Accuracy in substance use detection is paramount, and hair tests deliver results that are trustworthy.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Manawa, WI, using hair follicle testing ensures compliance with workplace drug-free policies, considerably reducing legal risks. Employers gain peace of mind, confident in the adherence to established safety standards.

By choosing this testing method, companies can foster a safe working environment and maintain regulatory compliance, enhancing overall workplace 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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