Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Suamico, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as a potent method for uncovering drug and alcohol consumption. Hair preserves a long-term record of alcohol and other drugs by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the growing strand. Collected near the scalp, hair offers a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is easy, not easily tampered with, and convenient to ship.

A 1.5-inch segment of approximately 200 hairs (around the size of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg, the perfect sample for screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and tests exceeding 10 panels, a 150mg specimen is suggested. We advise weighing the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not accessible, the same amount of body hair can be collected. "Head hair" exclusively refers to scalp hair. "Body hair" denotes all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test involves four principal stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary integration of a sample into a lab's system. It involves confirming proper sealing and shipping of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening conducts an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. Though Screening is a budget-friendly method to discard drug usage for most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation to be court-admissible. Any samples preliminarily positive in Screening must undergo secondary confirmation.

If a sample is preliminarily positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original specimen and prepped for Extraction. Here, drugs are extracted from hair at a significantly lower concentration than other methods (like urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging methodology to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is carried out using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are washed prior to confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory process, from Accessioning to Confirmation, is subject to review under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection window: Hair drug tests can spot drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests provide a shorter detection period.
• Hard to tamper: Cheating a hair drug test is very difficult, ensuring more accurate results.
• Gives historical insights: It reveals a pattern of drug use over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expensive: Generally, hair drug tests cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variations: Variables such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Often termed "hair follicle tests," the examination actually analyzes the hair strand and not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Suamico, WI, hair follicle testing showcases its superiority over traditional urine tests. The primary advantages include its ability to provide a three-month detection window and almost impossible attempts to tamper. While urine tests are optimal for recent drug use, hair testing's extended detection period makes it a better option overall. Employers and legal authorities often choose hair tests for their unmatched reliability.

Extended Detection Window

In Suamico, WI, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window reaching up to 90 days, allowing employers to evaluate an individual's substance use history comprehensively. This broader timeframe for detection makes it exceptionally advantageous for assessing an individual's past behavior, revealing any patterned substance usage. The extended window surpasses the typical limitations of shorter-term tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests, available in Suamico, WI, significantly minimize the chance for adulteration, ensuring dependable results. The robust testing method involves directly observing sample collection, making efforts to cheat tests nearly impossible. Employers and legal entities favor these tests for their secure nature, providing assurance that the results reflect the true status of the individual's substance use.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Our testing facilities are located nationwide, and in Suamico, WI, offering unparalleled convenience for individuals and employers. This extensive network of centers ensures that access to testing services is swift and hassle-free. Clients can easily find a location close to them, benefiting from prompt and efficient testing processes that fit right into their busy schedules, eliminating travel concerns.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Suamico, WI, is both simple and confidential. From ordering a test to receiving results, every step is streamlined to ensure privacy and ease of use. Individuals can trust that their information remains protected, and the straightforward procedure minimizes stress, assuring participants of a smooth experience throughout their testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Suamico, WI, we offer competitive pricing for our hair follicle testing services along with rapid turnaround times, affirming excellent value for businesses of every size. Our cost-effective testing solutions allow companies to manage their drug testing requirements without overspending. With efficient processing, clients receive timely results, making it a practical choice for employers.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The speed and accuracy of hair follicle drug testing in Suamico, WI, set it apart from other methods. Offering precise results, these tests detect a range of substances efficiently. Users benefit from fast turnaround times, ensuring that results are communicated quickly and accurately. With advanced technology, hair tests guarantee reliable detection, providing high confidence in their outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

For employers in Suamico, WI, hair follicle testing fosters compliance with drug-free policies, leading to enhanced workplace safety while reducing legal risks. The reliable results from these tests support maintaining a secure environment, offering peace of mind. Employers benefit from reassuring their commitment to a safe work setting free from substance-related incidents, thus supporting stringent hiring or ongoing compliance checks.

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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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