Hair Follicle Drug Testing - St. Croix Falls, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly regarded as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers a comprehensive history of substance use by capturing biomarkers in the structure of the hair as it grows. When hair is collected from near the scalp, it can reveal substance use for up to three months. Hair is easy to collect, not easily tampered with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample, containing roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil), provides 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional tests, or those beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. We advise using a jeweler's scale to weigh the specimen. If head hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. When discussing head hair, we are specifically referring to hair from the scalp. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The processing of a drug test result in a laboratory involves four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves integrating the sample into the lab's system, which includes confirming proper sealing and shipment, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry that is not automatically provided.

Screening serves as an initial, rapid assessment for substances of abuse. While it is a cost-effective method for eliminating drug use in most samples, any positive results must be verified for court admissibility. Samples with positive indications in Screening require further confirmation.

For samples with a positive indication during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at concentrations lower than those found in other testing methods (such as 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. Presumptive positive samples are cleaned prior to confirmation as needed. The entire process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is evaluated under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair standards and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair testing can identify substance use up to 90 days previously, unlike urine tests which have a limited timeframe.
• Hard to manipulate: Hair tests are challenging to falsify, ensuring more reliable results.
• Captures past usage: Can show patterns of drug use over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair only after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair testing is usually more costly than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variability: Hair color and personal differences in hair growth can alter drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly called "hair follicle tests," this test actually examines the hair strand, not the hair follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in St. Croix Falls, WI lies in the superior detection capability and trustworthiness of hair testing. Unlike traditional urine tests, hair follicle testing provides a more reliable assessment of drug use over an extended period.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in St. Croix Falls, WI demonstrates the advantage of hair follicle testing, which can detect drug usage up to 90 days in the past. This extended window offers employers an insightful review of a person's substance use history.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in St. Croix Falls, WI underscores how hair follicle tests minimize the chances of sample tampering, thereby delivering results that are both credible and indisputable.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations in St. Croix Falls, WI emphasize the accessibility of our numerous testing facilities, enabling straightforward and efficient testing without unnecessary obstacles.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in St. Croix Falls, WI details the ease and privacy of the procedures involved in scheduling, undertaking, and obtaining results from hair follicle tests, alleviating privacy concerns and simplifying usage.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in St. Croix Falls, WI highlights our cost-effective pricing plans and swift results delivery that offer outstanding value and assurance for businesses regardless of size.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in St. Croix Falls, WI highlight the ability of hair follicle drug tests to deliver precise and swift outcomes. By detecting substance use with high accuracy, these tests offer an unparalleled advantage in drug testing.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in St. Croix Falls, WI is ensured through hair follicle tests, which uphold workplace drug-free policies and mitigate legal risks, thus promoting a safer working 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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