Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mount Sterling, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective means to identify drug and alcohol consumption. The hair captures a comprehensive record of alcohol and drug use by encapsulating biomarkers within its fibers. When collected near the scalp, hair can unveil a detection window of up to approximately three months for alcohol and other drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, moderately resistant to tampering, and convenient for shipping.

An ideal sample for testing and validation consists of a 1.5-inch piece of around 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil), which provides 100 mg of hair. For tests such as EtG, add-ons, or those exceeding 10 panels, a 150 mg sample is advisable. We suggest weighing the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent amount of body hair may be taken. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other forms (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory analysis of a drug test involves four primary stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the initial stage where a sample is integrated into a lab's system. This process includes checking if the sample was correctly sealed and sent, allocating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data needed not covered by an electronic chain of custody.

Screening performs a preliminary assessment for drug substances. Although Screening is cost-efficient for ruling out drug presence in most samples, positive findings must be confirmed for legal validity. Samples with presumptive positives during Screening necessitate a subsequent confirmation.

If a specimen is presumptively positive at the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (like urine or oral fluids), making hair drug testing the most intricate procedure to administer.

Any positive screen results undergo Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Presumptive positive samples are washed before confirmation, as required. The full laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is assessed following both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection window: Hair tests can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a shorter detection span.
• High resistance to manipulation: Cheating a hair drug test is notably challenging, increasing result reliability.
• Shows historical usage: Provides insights into drug use patterns over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: Drugs become detectable in hair roughly 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier than alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal hair growth differences can alter the drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Despite being commonly termed "hair follicle tests", such tests directly analyze the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Mount Sterling, WI, hair follicle testing offers notable advantages over traditional urine tests. This method provides improved detection accuracy and reliability, showcasing a superior approach in identifying drug use for extended periods.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Mount Sterling, WI, grants employers a longer detection window, extending up to 90 days. This gives a deeper understanding of an individual’s substance use history, proving invaluable for thorough assessments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Mount Sterling, WI, hair follicle tests drastically reduce the likelihood of tampering, providing trustworthy and uncompromised results. This testing method offers peace of mind with its resistance to adulteration.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our extensive network of testing centers across Mount Sterling, WI and Nationwide ensures convenient access to testing services. Whether locally or elsewhere, quick and easy testing is always within reach.

Simple, Confidential Process

Utilizing a simple and confidential process in Mount Sterling, WI, ordering and receiving results from hair follicle tests is direct and maintains your privacy. This streamlined approach enhances user experience and confidence.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Mount Sterling, WI, we offer competitive pricing and swift turnaround times for hair follicle testing. Companies of all sizes benefit from our cost-effective solutions and prompt service delivery.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Mount Sterling, WI, hair follicle drug testing stands out with fast, accurate, and reliable results. This method ensures thorough detection of substance use, aiding employers and other organizations in maintaining a drug-free environment.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Mount Sterling, WI helps employers ensure compliance with drug-free workplace policies. It mitigates legal risks and enhances workplace safety, offering peace of mind through rigorous testing standards.

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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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