Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Dale, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now regarded as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term history of these substances by embedding biomarkers within the strands. When cut near the scalp, it can offer an approximate 3-month window for detecting alcohol and other drugs. The collection process is straightforward, tampering is somewhat challenging, and shipping is hassle-free.

A 1.5-inch sample of around 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp provides 100mg, ideal for analysis and confirmation. For EtG, specific add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advisable. It's best to weigh the specimen using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn’t available, a similar amount of body hair should be taken. By head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair includes other types like facial and axillary hair.

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result involves Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning focuses on initial processing, ensuring the sample is securely sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finishing any extra data input absent in an electronic custody system.

Screening provides a swift check for drug presence. This cost-effective step helps discard negative samples, but a positive result needs confirmation to be legally valid. Samples that test positive require further verification.

For samples with a presumptive positive result in Screening, additional hair is taken from the original sample and processed for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are pulled out from hair at far lower concentrations than with urine or oral fluid, making hair testing exceptionally challenging.

Positive results after Screening are confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS methods. All positively-screened samples are cleansed before Confirmation as needed. Every phase from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed in line with CAP (College of American Pathologists) standards for Hair and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection period: Hair drug tests can perceive drug usage up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter span.
• Hard to falsify: It's very challenging to deceive a hair drug test, making outcomes more reliable.
• Displays historical patterns: Provides insights into drug use trends over time, not merely recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs take around 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are generally costlier than other testing techniques.
• Result variations: Elements like hair color and individual growth disparities can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Often called "hair follicle tests", the evaluation actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Dale, OK
Hair follicle tests offer a broader detection window than traditional urine tests, capturing drug use up to 90 days prior. With their superior accuracy and greater reliability, hair tests are preferred by employers and courts, reducing the chance of sample contamination or manipulation. This testing method ensures a comprehensive and accurate assessment of an individual's substance use history.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Dale, OK
Hair follicle testing provides a significant advantage with its extended detection period, capable of revealing drug usage for up to 90 days. This feature gives employers a more thorough view of a potential hire or current employee's substance use history. This extended window allows for a more comprehensive assessment than other testing methods, like urine tests.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Dale, OK
Hair follicle tests drastically reduce the risk of sample tampering. Their methodology makes altering or adulterating results virtually impossible, ensuring the integrity and reliability of each test. The rigorous procedures involved provide a trustworthy outcome that stands up to scrutiny, crucial for organizations enforcing strict drug policies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Dale, OK
Our expansive network of testing centers makes accessing hair follicle testing services quick and hassle-free. With locations across the nation and specific facilities in Dale, OK, you are guaranteed easy and convenient testing options, minimizing any disruption to your schedule and ensuring timely service delivery.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Dale, OK
Our hair follicle testing process prioritizes convenience and privacy. Ordering, conducting, and receiving test results are straightforward and confidential, ensuring clients' personal information is secure. This ease of use addresses privacy concerns and ensures a streamlined experience for all parties involved.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Dale, OK
We offer competitive pricing structures for our hair follicle testing services, combined with rapid turnaround times. This combination delivers excellent value, providing businesses of all sizes with efficient drug testing solutions that are cost-effective and ensure swift results, allowing companies to proceed with minimal delay.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Dale, OK
Hair follicle drug testing offers exceptional precision and speed, making it a superior choice in detecting substance use. These tests provide high accuracy and fast processing times, ensuring reliable results. The ability to deliver quick and dependable outcomes makes it an ideal choice for individuals and employers prioritizing efficiency and confidence in their testing methods.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Dale, OK
Enhance workplace safety with hair follicle testing, which ensures adherence to drug-free policies. This method significantly reduces legal risks, offering employers confidence and peace of mind. By providing a robust verification process, businesses can maintain compliance while fostering a safer work environment for all employees.

Drug Testing Near Dale, OK

Sparks, OK

Etowah, OK

Tribbey, OK

Nicoma Park, OK

Macomb, OK

Earlsboro, OK

Brooksville, OK

Johnson, OK

Meeker, OK

Tecumseh, OK

Harrah, OK

Pink, OK

Shawnee, OK

Bethel Acres, OK

McLoud, OK

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Customer Reviews