Hair Follicle Drug Testing - South Milwaukee, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a robust method for spotting drug and alcohol consumption. This method utilizes hair to document extended histories of substance use by capturing biomarkers in the hair strand's fibers as it grows. When taken near the scalp, hair samples can offer up to a 3-month window of detectable alcohol and drug usage. It is easy to collect hair, challenging to tamper with, and convenient for shipping.

A 1.5-inch segment comprising around 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil's thickness) from the scalp yields 100mg, the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation procedures. For EtG, extra tests, or panels exceeding 10, 150mg is advised. Using a jeweler's scale to weigh the sample is recommended. In the absence of scalp hair, an equivalent quantity of body hair is a viable alternative. The term "head hair" exclusively refers to scalp hair. "Body hair" encompasses all other hair types, such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The principal stages in laboratory processing of a drug test result include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the preliminary processing of samples within a lab's system. This step verifies proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigns a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and completes any remaining data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

The Screening phase conducts a preliminary check for drug abuse. Though cost-efficient for eliminating drug use in the majority of samples, a positive screen necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples that test positive in screening require further confirmation.

Should a sample test positive in Screening, additional hair is drawn from the original sample for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at concentrations significantly lower than other methods like urine or oral fluid, highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. Presumptive positive samples are washed when required before confirmation. The complete process from Accessioning to Confirmation is examined under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days prior, unlike urine tests with shorter detection periods.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is challenging, ensuring more accurate results.
• Chronological data: It depicts a usage pattern over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Can’t spot recent usage: Drugs become noticeable in hair in approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than alternative testing methods.
• Result variations: Variables such as hair color and individual growth rates can change metabolite concentrations.

Note: Although often dubbed "hair follicle tests", the actual analysis targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests in South Milwaukee, WI, due to its superior detection accuracy and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair analysis covers a more extended period, providing a comprehensive view of substance history.

With the demanding standards of South Milwaukee employers, hair testing is preferred for its more foolproof results compared to urine tests. Detection windows for drug use are longer, ensuring a more complete check.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in South Milwaukee, WI, benefit from the extended detection window of hair follicle testing, covering up to 90 days of drug use history. This timeframe provides a broad view of an individual’s substance habits.

Hair follicle tests in South Milwaukee give companies a comprehensive insight into applicants’ or employees’ histories, ensuring informed hiring and retention decisions based on a long-term substance use review.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In South Milwaukee, WI, the risk of sample adulteration is significantly reduced through hair follicle tests, offering a tamper-resistant method that cannot be easily bypassed.

The integrity of hair follicle testing in South Milwaukee ensures unquestionable results that maintain reliability and resist manipulation, unlike other testing methods.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accessibility to drug testing services in South Milwaukee, WI, is streamlined through our nationwide network of centers. This ensures fast and convenient access to essential testing facilities.

For South Milwaukee residents, our local and nationwide locations simplify the drug testing process, facilitating easy and stress-free appointments regardless of location.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for conducting hair follicle tests in South Milwaukee, WI, is designed to be simple and confidential, addressing concerns about privacy while ensuring quick and accurate results.

Residents of South Milwaukee can easily order and take hair follicle tests, with assured confidentiality throughout the procedure, from initiation to receiving results.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our services in South Milwaukee, WI, boast competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times, ensuring affordability without compromising on quality.

Companies in South Milwaukee benefit from our cost-effective testing solutions, experiencing fast results that provide excellent value, supporting businesses of all sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In South Milwaukee, WI, hair follicle drug tests offer fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision of these tests makes them superior in identifying substance use, capturing a wide array of substances with exceptional accuracy.

Employers in South Milwaukee prefer hair follicle testing due to its high accuracy rate. The swift turnaround time ensures that results are promptly available, aiding in quick decision-making processes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In South Milwaukee, WI, compliance with workplace drug policies is enhanced through the use of hair follicle testing. This method aids employers in aligning with legal guidelines while minimizing potential legal liabilities.

Employers achieve peace of mind by employing hair follicle testing in South Milwaukee, ensuring a safer working environment and adherence to drug-free workplace policies.

Drug Testing Near South Milwaukee, WI

West Milwaukee, WI

Wind Point, WI

Hales Corners, WI

Milwaukee, WI

Franklin, WI

Fairview, WI

Greenfield, WI

Caledonia, WI

Greendale, WI

Saint Francis, WI

St. Francis, WI

Cudahy, WI

Oak Creek, WI

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews