Hair Follicle Drug Testing - East Murray, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has gained recognition as an effective means for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. The fibers of a growing hair strand capture biomarkers, providing a prolonged record of alcohol and other substance use. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal substance use over a period of up to three months. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and convenient for shipping.

A sample measuring 1.5 inches of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to the size of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp yields about 100mg of hair, which is considered the optimal sample amount for both screening and confirmation. For tests involving EtG, additional screenings, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is suggested. It is advised to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. Should scalp hair be unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be acquired. By head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses other types such as facial and axillary.

Process Overview

There are four essential phases in a laboratory's drug testing process: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, a sample is initially processed into the lab's system, ensuring it was properly sealed and transported, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing necessary data entries absent from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening serves as an efficient preliminary check for substance abuse, offering a cost-effective way to dismiss drug use in most cases. A positive screening result, however, requires confirmation to hold up in legal scenarios, necessitating further verification for presumptively positive samples.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, a greater amount of hair is extracted from the original sample for further processing in the Extraction phase. Here, substances are extracted at a lower concentration than other testing methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), underscoring the complexity of hair drug analysis.

Positive screening results undergo confirmation through methods such as GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS, with all presumptively positive samples receiving a pre-confirmation wash when needed. The laboratory procedure, ranging from Accessioning to Confirmation, is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and certified against ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests identify drug use up to 90 days prior, unlike urine tests with shorter detection spans.
• Hard to manipulate: A hair drug test's resistance to tampering increases result accuracy.
• Displays usage history: It offers a timeline of substance use over an extended timeframe, not just recent occurrences.

Limitations:

• Incapable of spotting recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair testing tends to incur higher costs compared to alternative methods.
• Result variability: Variables such as hair color and individual growth rates may influence drug metabolite concentration in hair strands.

Note: While often termed "hair follicle tests", this process examines the hair strand rather than the follicle below the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In East Murray, OK, hair follicle testing surpasses traditional urine tests in several ways. It offers superior accuracy and detection reliability, providing a clearer picture of an individual’s substance use over time. Unlike urine tests, which can be influenced by short-term detoxifications, hair follicle tests pick up substances used up to 90 days in the past. This method minimizes false negatives and enhances trustworthiness.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in East Murray, OK, can benefit from the extended detection window of up to 90 days that hair follicle testing provides. This longer period offers a thorough understanding of an employee’s or applicant's history with substance use, unlike shorter-window urine tests that only reflect recent drug use. This comprehensive outlook aids in making informed employment decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In East Murray, OK, hair follicle tests are a tamper-resistant method of drug testing, greatly minimizing the chance of sample manipulation. Unlike urine tests, where samples can be easily adulterated, hair testing provides a dependable and virtually tamper-proof option, giving employers confidence in the integrity of the results obtained, thereby upholding the accuracy and reliability of the findings.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing's convenient testing centers in East Murray, OK, and throughout the nation, are designed for ease of access. This network allows for quick, simple, and hassle-free testing experiences just about anywhere you may be. Whether you're in a major city or a local community, our facilities ensure that your testing needs are met with the greatest convenience and efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for undergoing a hair follicle test in East Murray, OK, is simple and confidential. We ensure the ordering of tests, the collection of samples, and the receipt of results are handled with the utmost privacy. Our clients can expect a straightforward, secure method that respects their confidentiality at every stage, enhancing their comfort and trust in our services.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In East Murray, OK, our hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times. This combination of affordability and speed ensures that businesses of all sizes receive excellent value without compromising on quality. Swift, reliable results provide peace of mind and allow companies to operate effectively with minimized waiting periods and budget constraints.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The precision and speed of hair follicle tests in East Murray, OK, are unmatched. These tests are conducted swiftly, ensuring results are both accurate and timely. When you're faced with the need for immediate and reliable substance detection, hair testing offers a rapid, efficient solution that ensures employers gain critical insights into an individual’s substance use patterns, with the added benefit of unparalleled reliability.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in East Murray, OK, offers employers compliance assurance and peace of mind. By integrating this method into their drug-free workplace policies, companies can significantly lower legal risks while promoting a safer, more secure business environment. This reliable method of testing assists in maintaining adherence to workplace guidelines, enhancing overall safety and compliance.

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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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