Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Stoddard, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as a crucial method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. It offers an extended timeline by preserving biomarkers in the hair's growing strands. A sample taken close to the roots can reveal drug or alcohol use over roughly three months. Hair collection is straightforward, hard to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A standard hair sample, measuring 1.5 inches and around 200 strands in thickness (similar to a #2 pencil), provides 100mg of hair—ideal for testing and verification. For detailed panels such as EtG or those exceeding 10 categories, 150mg is suggested. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for specimen weight is advisable. If head hair is insufficient, equivalent body hair can be used. Here, head hair denotes specifically scalp hair, while body hair encompasses all other types (e.g., facial, axillary).

Process Overview

The lab processing route for drug testing involves four core phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

The Accessioning phase integrates the sample into the lab system, ensuring it’s properly sealed and dispatched, assigning an LAB (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handling any pending data entries absent in an electronic tracking system.

Screening offers an initial cost-effective review for illicit substances, helping dismiss drug usage in most cases. However, a positive screen requires validation for legal admittance, necessitating further verification for any positive results.

In cases of presumptive positive results post-Screening, more hair is extracted for the Extraction phase. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at notably lower concentrations compared to methods such as urine or saliva tests, making this approach notably complex.

For validating any positive findings from screenings, techniques like GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS are used. Prior to confirmation, any positive samples undergo washing as necessary. The entire protocol, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is conducted following strict guidelines outlined by the CAP (College of American Pathologists) under Hair designation and compliant with ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can uncover drug use for as long as 90 days, whereas urine tests offer shorter detection durations.
• Hard to manipulate: Cheating on a hair drug test is highly complex, ensuring more reliable outcomes.
• Offers usage trend data: This method maps a timeline of drug usage, beyond merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of recent usage detection: Generally, drugs become detectable in hair after 5-7 days post-usage.
• Expense: Hair tests often incur higher costs compared to alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Aspects like hair color and personal growth patterns can impact the level of drug residues in hair.

Note: Though commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the procedure actually tests the hair shaft rather than the scalp-embedded follicle

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Stoddard, WI, hair follicle testing supersedes traditional urine tests due to its enhanced detection accuracy and superior reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair testing can detect drug use over a longer period, offering a clear and comprehensive picture of an individual's substance use history. The hair sample collection process is rigorous and ensures authenticity, leaving little room for error.

Extended Detection Window

With an extended detection window in Stoddard, WI, hair follicle testing allows for substance usage history review up to 90 days. This long window provides a more comprehensive screening than shorter-term methods like urine tests. Employers gain a thorough understanding, aiding in the assessment of applicants or employees.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Stoddard, WI, is a tamper-resistant method, drastically reducing the likelihood of sample adulteration. Unlike other testing methods, the collection and analysis ensure undiable results. This integrity makes hair follicle tests an optimal choice for reliable drug screening.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers convenience with its extensive network of nationwide testing centers, including locations in Stoddard, WI. This accessibility guarantees quick and hassle-free access to testing services, accommodating both employers and individuals efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

The confidential process for hair follicle testing in Stoddard, WI, is straightforward and user-friendly. From ordering to collection and receiving results, privacy concerns are addressed, ensuring that the entire experience remains discreet and accessible.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Stoddard, WI, Accredited Drug Testing offers competitive pricing structures and fast turnaround times for hair follicle testing. Companies, regardless of size, can benefit from excellent value, ensuring timely and cost-effective substance testing.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Stoddard, WI, the precision and swiftness of hair follicle drug tests are unparalleled. Hair tests boast high accuracy in detecting substance use due to their robust analysis techniques. Moreover, speedy results ensure that decisions concerning employment and compliance can be made efficiently, enhancing employer and employee confidence.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle testing in Stoddard, WI, ensures employers compliance with drug-free workplace policies. Such testing reduces legal risks and enhances overall safety. By choosing trustworthy hair testing, companies secure a protected and compliant work environment, offering peace of mind.

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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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