Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Braggs, OK

What it is, How it works

Recognized as highly effective, hair testing serves for drug and alcohol detection by retaining biomarkers in the hair strand’s fibers. When gathered near the scalp, hair offers up to roughly a 3-month detection span for drugs and alcohol. Collection of hair is straightforward, relatively tough to tamper with, and convenient to mail.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches in length of approximately 200 hair strands (akin to a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg, an ideal quantity for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, and/or beyond 10-panel assessments, 150mg is advised. Use a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing. Should scalp hair be missing, a comparable amount of body hair is acceptable. References to head hair denote only scalp hair; body hair includes all other types (axillary, facial, etc.).

Process Overview

Drug test laboratory processing incorporates four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails initial sample integration into the lab’s system involving verification of appropriate sealing and shipping, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any indispensable data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody.

Screening embodies an initial swift examination for drug abuse. Though Screening offers a cost-efficient tactic to eliminate drug consumption in most samples, a positive screen mandates confirmation for court acceptability. Any presumptively positive samples in Screening necessitate a subsequent confirmation.

Upon a presumptive positive in the Screening phase, further hair is extracted from the primary specimen and arranged for Extraction. This phase entails drug extraction from hair at notably reduced concentrations than alternative methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), thus establishing hair drug screening as the most intricate methodology.

A positive screening validation occurs through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as needed. The comprehensive lab process, spanning from Accessioning to Confirmation, is evaluated under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair accreditation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection span: Hair drug tests identify drug usage extending up to 90 days, surpassing the shorter span of urine tests.
• Tough to manipulate: Cheating on a hair drug test is notably challenging, enhancing result accuracy.
• Yields historical insights: Offers a depiction of drug usage over time, beyond recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of revealing recent use: Drugs become traceable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests incur higher costs compared to other testing methods.
• Varying results: Factors like hair color and personal hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: Though commonly termed as “hair follicle tests,” the analysis focuses on the hair strand, not the scalp’s hair follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Braggs, OK surpasses traditional urine tests in several aspects. While both methods aim to detect drug use, hair testing boasts superior accuracy and reliability over extended periods.

The main advantage of hair testing is its ability to detect drug use over a prolonged duration, providing a clear and comprehensive record. Additionally, hair follicle testing is less prone to manipulation, ensuring integrity and trustworthiness in results.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests in Braggs, OK offer an extended detection window of up to 90 days, far surpassing traditional testing methods. This allows employers to gain a detailed view of substance use history.

This extended timeframe provides invaluable insights into an individual's behavior and patterns, offering a deeper understanding and aiding in making well-informed employment decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Braggs, OK drastically minimizes risks associated with sample tampering. This testing method is known for its reliability and provides clear, undeniable outcomes.

Due to its robust nature, hair testing alleviates concerns over adulteration or substitution, securing trust in every test conducted and fostering confidence among employers and agencies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With accessible testing sites Nationwide, including Braggs, OK, Accredited Drug Testing guarantees convenience where clients can easily access services without hassle.

The availability of multiple locations means local residents can quickly find a center nearby, eliminating the stress associated with securing necessary testing whenever required.

Simple, Confidential Process

Our process for hair follicle testing in Braggs, OK is both straightforward and confidential, ensuring users can schedule, participate in, and review tests with confidence.

Privacy concerns are top of mind, with procedures in place to protect client information, providing peace of mind and simplicity throughout the entire process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Competitive pricing structures coupled with swift turnaround times make hair follicle testing in Braggs, OK appealing for businesses of any size.

These tests not only offer value through their affordable nature but also provide rapid results, giving companies assurance and clarity at cost-effective rates.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Braggs, OK, hair follicle drug testing offers unmatched precision, swiftly identifying substance use accurately. The tests ensure high reliability, delivering quick results that support informed decisions.

These tests capture a complete profile of substance use, detecting patterns over time. Their efficiency and fast processing mean results are available in a fraction of the time, maintaining their role as a trusted method for screening.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Utilizing hair follicle tests in Braggs, OK helps ensure adherence to stringent organizational drug policies, diminishing legal threats and bolstering workplace security.

By opting for these tests, employers can rest assured that they are upholding compliance standards, providing a peaceful and safe working environment for all involved.

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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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