Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Oak Creek, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is increasingly recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. By retaining biomarkers in the growing strand fibers, hair reveals a long-term history of substance use. Collected near the scalp, hair samples can indicate alcohol and drug use spanning roughly a three-month period. It's easy to gather samples, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment of around 200 hair strands (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil) from near the scalp provides about 100mg of hair, which is optimal for analysis. For EtG, additional panels, or tests over 10 panels, 150mg is suggested. Using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample is advisable. If scalp hair is not available, a matching amount of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning is the initial step of integrating a sample into a lab's system. It includes verifying proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any necessary manual data entry absent in an electronic custody chain.

Screening is a rapid initial examination for substance abuse. Although cost-efficient for dismissing substance use in most samples, a confirmed positive screen is essential for legal admissibility. Presumptive positives in Screening demand a further confirmation.

For samples identified as presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and prepared for Extraction. This stage involves retrieving drugs from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to other methods (like urine or oral fluid), thus making hair drug testing the most challenging method to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening result employs GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS technology. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as necessary. The entire process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is overseen in compliance with the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Long detection window: Hair tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, whereas urine tests offer a shorter detection timeframe.
• Difficulty to cheat: Tampering with a hair drug test is highly challenging, enhancing result reliability.
• Provides historical data: It delivers a timeline of drug usage over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after roughly 5-7 days.
• Cost: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher expenses than other methods.
• Variations in results: Aspects like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Although often termed "hair follicle tests", the test assesses the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In comparison to traditional urine testing, hair follicle analysis in Oak Creek, WI stands out for its enhanced detection precision. By capturing a longer history of substance use, hair testing offers a reliability that urine tests can lack. This level of accuracy ensures that the detection results are a true reflection of an individual's substance exposure over time.

Extended Detection Window

One of the major benefits of hair follicle testing in Oak Creek, WI is its extended detection window, capturing drug use up to 90 days prior. This comprehensive view into an individual's past substance use provides employers with the necessary insights to make informed decisions regarding their workforce's safety and integrity.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The robustness of hair follicle tests in Oak Creek, WI minimizes the risk of tampering or sample adulteration, unlike other testing methods. This ensures that the results gathered are unequivocally reliable, giving stakeholders peace of mind over the integrity of the testing process and outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key with our nationwide and local testing centers in Oak Creek, WI, ensuring easy access to testing services without the hassle. Regardless of your location, our comprehensive network facilitates prompt and efficient service delivery, streamlining the testing process for all users.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Oak Creek, WI is designed to be straightforward and confidential. From ordering to obtaining results, every step prioritizes user privacy and simplicity, addressing any concerns individuals may have while maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our pricing structures in Oak Creek, WI offer competitive rates without sacrificing quality, ensuring that all companies can access quick and reliable testing services. Coupled with fast turnaround times, our services provide excellent value while ensuring businesses can operate with confidence in their drug testing protocols.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The rapid and precise nature of hair follicle drug tests in Oak Creek, WI ensures results that stakeholders can trust. Their exceptional accuracy in identifying substance use guarantees that decisions based on hair test outcomes are sound and reliable. The speed at which these tests deliver information adds to their credibility, making them an invaluable tool in time-sensitive scenarios.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Oak Creek, WI find assurance in hair follicle testing as it provides compliance with drug-free workplace mandates. This testing method aids in mitigating legal risks while promoting a safe and healthy work environment, reinforcing peace of mind for management and employees alike.

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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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