Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Tunnel City, WI

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has been recognized as a reliable means for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair retains a prolonged history of substances by embedding biomarkers within the hair fiber as it grows. When hair is collected near the scalp, it offers nearly a three-month detection span for alcohol and other substances. It is effortless to collect hair, challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to transport.

A 1.5-inch hair segment consisting of roughly 200 strands (approximating a #2 pencil in width) near the scalp yields about 100mg of hair, which is the perfect quantity for screening and further analysis. For EtG extensions and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, a specimen weight of 150mg is advised. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for weighing. In the absence of scalp hair, a comparable amount of body hair can be harvested. The term head hair strictly refers to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types of hair (such as facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory evaluation of a drug test encompasses four key stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a sample into a lab’s database. This step entails confirming the sample's proper sealing and shipping, assigning an arbitrary LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any missing data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening is a preliminary assessment of substances of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient approach to eliminate drug usage in most samples, any positive screen requires confirmation for legal acceptance. All samples presumed positive during Screening need secondary verification.

Should a sample be deemed tentatively positive during Screening, additional hair is obtained from the original sample for Extraction. In this phase, substances are extracted from hair at much lower concentrations compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting why hair drug testing is notably challenging.

Verification of any positive screening outcome occurs via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suspected to be positive are cleansed prior to Confirmation if necessary. The comprehensive lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized following both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited by ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair testing can uncover drug consumption up to 90 days, in contrast to the shorter detection period of urine tests.
• Difficult to manipulate: Manipulating hair drug tests is challenging, ensuring greater result accuracy.
• Offers historical insight: It reveals a trend of substance use over time, beyond recent usage.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-consumption.
• Expense: Hair drug testing is often pricier compared to other methods.
• Result discrepancies: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: The tests, often termed "hair follicle tests", actually examine the hair strands, not the follicles beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle testing with traditional urine tests in Tunnel City, WI, the advantages of hair testing are clear.

While urine tests detect recent drug use, hair tests provide a broader detection range, identifying patterns of substance use with superior accuracy and reliability.

Extended Detection Window

The extended detection window of hair follicle testing in Tunnel City, WI offers significant advantages.

With the capability to uncover drug use for up to 90 days, employers gain a detailed overview of an individual’s substance history, leading to more informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle tests in Tunnel City, WI significantly mitigate the risk of sample tampering.

Due to the inherent nature of hair testing, it is nearly impossible to adulterate samples, ensuring that results are reliable and accurate.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing's nationwide presence makes hair testing easily accessible in Tunnel City, WI.

With numerous testing centers across the country, individuals and businesses experience a convenient, hassle-free testing process.

Simple, Confidential Process

The simplicity and confidentiality of our hair follicle testing process in Tunnel City, WI ensure peace of mind.

From ordering the test to receiving the results, our process is designed to protect privacy while offering ease of use.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our hair follicle testing services in Tunnel City, WI offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times.

This ensures that companies of all sizes receive excellent value, enhancing their capacity to make informed, timely decisions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Hair follicle testing in Tunnel City, WI is known for its fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision in detecting substance use through these tests is unparalleled due to their ability to track drug use over an extended period.

These tests deliver clear and quick results, providing employers with the necessary information to make informed decisions about their workforce.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in Tunnel City, WI helps employers maintain compliance with workplace drug-free policies.

This testing method reduces legal liabilities and fosters a safe working environment, providing peace of mind for employers.

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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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