Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Sand Lake, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has gained recognition as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended history of substance use by retaining biomarkers within the hair strand's fibers. When samples are taken near the scalp, they can indicate alcohol and drug use over a timeframe of up to three months. Hair is straightforward to collect, hard to alter, and convenient to transport.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches, consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp will amount to 100mg, which is the optimal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or those exceeding 10 panels, it is advisable to have 150mg of the sample. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair can be taken. In the context of head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Meanwhile, body hair encompasses all other hair types including facial and axillary.

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for obtaining a drug test result involves four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system, which involves ensuring the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any lacking data entry from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening consists of a preliminary assessment for substances of abuse. Although Screening is economical for eliminating drug use in most cases, any positive result must be verified to be legally defensible. Samples that show provisional positives in Screening require further confirmation.

For presumptive positives discovered in Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample and processed for Extraction. This stage involves retrieving drugs from hair at considerably lower concentrations than alternative methods (such as urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is particularly challenging.

Any positive finding from screening undergoes Confirmation utilizing GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. All samples with presumptive positives are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and adheres to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug consumption over a period of up to 90 days, whereas urine tests are confined to a shorter detection span.
• Low likelihood of tampering: The accuracy of hair drug tests is elevated due to the difficulty of manipulating the results.
• Tracks usage history: It reflects patterns of drug use over time, rather than exclusively recent use.

Limitations:

• Inability to identify recent use: Drugs take about 5-7 days to become detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs than other drug testing approaches.
• Result variability: Aspects like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is commonly used, though the test examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests for various reasons in Sand Lake, WI. Primarily, hair tests provide superior detection capabilities with an extensive detection window, covering up to 90 days. This broader scope offers a more holistic view than urine testing.

Urine tests, though fast, capture only recent drug consumption, often missing substance use beyond a short span. In contrast, hair testing excels in both detection span and reliability, making it a preferred choice for those committed to maintaining drug-free environments.

Extended Detection Window

With an extended detection span, hair follicle testing in Sand Lake, WI offers an unmatched advantage. Unlike other methods, it provides a comprehensive overview of drug use history, reaching back up to 90 days. Employers benefit from this prolonged window when evaluating candidates or employees.

This method is vital for businesses seeking trustworthy insights into substance use patterns. By leveraging this technology, they achieve an in-depth understanding of an individual's drug history, supporting informed decision-making.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Sand Lake, WI, hair follicle tests greatly minimize the chance of tampering, offering a reliable method for drug detection. This testing method enhances accuracy by reducing the risk of sample adulteration, ensuring that results remain uncontested.

Compared to conventional tests susceptible to tampering, hair follicle testing provides undeniable integrity of samples. This gives employers and agencies peace of mind, knowing that results reflect an accurate portrayal of substance use patterns.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

In Sand Lake, WI, the access to convenient nationwide testing centers ensures efficient and straightforward testing services. With locations spread across the country, Accredited Drug Testing simplifies the process, delivering hassle-free substance testing locally.

The convenient placement of our testing centers means access is always within reach, making the process of securing and undergoing tests as smooth as possible for individuals and employers alike.

Simple, Confidential Process

Accredited Drug Testing in Sand Lake, WI ensures a straightforward and confidential testing process. From ordering tests to receiving results, the process is made seamless, ensuring discretion and ease of use.

For those concerned about privacy, our system ensures that handling and communication are maintained in strict confidence, upholding a commitment to secure and user-friendly drug testing processes.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Providing competitive pricing and rapid turnaround, our drug testing services in Sand Lake, WI offer unparalleled value. With quick processing times, businesses and individuals enjoy efficiency and affordability in their testing needs.

Our pricing structure is designed to accommodate organizations of all sizes, ensuring that top-quality testing services remain accessible. Coupled with fast results, clients experience both economic and effective drug testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Experience fast and reliable testing results in Sand Lake, WI. Hair follicle drug tests deliver speed and precision, making it possible to identify substance use accurately. This method promises consistency and high reliability, ensuring timely detection without compromising accuracy.

The effectiveness of these tests is attributed to their meticulous analysis processes. In Sand Lake, those requiring swift yet accurate results find hair testing an ideal option, offering clarity and thoroughness in substance detection.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Sand Lake, WI, hair follicle testing is critical in upholding compliance and securing peace of mind. By adopting this testing strategy, workplace drug-free policies are maintained more effectively, mitigating legal risks, and increasing overall safety.

With stringent regulations on workplace drug use, employers find assurance in hair testing. Its reliable outcomes contribute to building a safer, consistent, and legally compliant 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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