Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Kendrick, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is now viewed as a robust method for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. This method offers a comprehensive history of substance use by capturing biomarkers within the strands of growing hair. When collected near the scalp, hair can reveal substance use history for up to roughly three months. It is easy to collect, resistant to tampering, and simple to ship.

A 1.5-inch sample of around 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) closest to the scalp provides 100mg of hair, the ideal amount for screening and confirmation tests. For EtG add-ons and/or panels exceeding 10, a 150mg sample is preferable. Utilizing a jeweler's scale for weighing the specimen is advised. In the absence of scalp hair, a proportionate amount of body hair may be collected. When mentioning head hair, it specifically refers to scalp hair, whereas body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

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

Accessioning marks the initial entry of a sample into a laboratory's system. This includes ensuring the sample was properly sealed and shipped, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening constitutes a preliminary assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening efficiently excludes drug usage in most samples at a lower cost, a positive result demands Confirmation to be legally defensible. Samples flagged as presumptively positive in Screening necessitate a successive Confirmation.

Should a Screening return a presumptive positive, additional hair is retrieved from the initial sample for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), thus rendering hair drug screening a challenging endeavor.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcomes is executed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suspected to be positive undergo washing before Confirmation. The complete laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation adheres to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation norms.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests detect drug use up to 90 days, surpassing urine tests that have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Difficult to manipulate: Cheating a hair test is notably challenging, ensuring accurate outcomes.
• Patterns of substance use: It reveals drug use patterns over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs only become detectable in hair after roughly 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair tests tend to be pricier compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Commonly termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis actually involves the hair strand and does not include the hair follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

When comparing hair follicle testing to urine analysis in Kendrick, OK, the advantages are evident. Hair tests boast superior detection accuracy and reliability, significantly outmatching urine tests.
The method captures a broader detection range, offering in-depth insights into the substance use history. For employers, hair testing ensures a trustworthy examination, making it ideal for stringent drug policy enforcement and accurate assessments.

Extended Detection Window

In Kendrick, OK, hair follicle drug tests are valued for their extended detection window, covering up to 90 days.
This time span allows employers to obtain a detailed view of an individual's substance use history, vital for making informed hiring or monitoring decisions. The lengthy detection period surpasses traditional testing methods, offering unmatched insights into past and present drug use patterns.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In Kendrick, OK, hair follicle testing is hailed for its tamper-resistant nature, minimizing the risk of sample adulteration.
Unlike other testing methods, hair samples are challenging to manipulate, delivering reliable and indisputable results. This method ensures the integrity of each test, providing confidence to employers and authorities in maintaining drug-free environments with peace of mind.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing boasts convenient nationwide testing facilities, including local centers in Kendrick, OK.
This extensive network ensures easy and hassle-free access to testing services whenever needed. With widespread availability, individuals and employers alike enjoy swift service, eliminating the inconvenience of distant travel to maintain compliance with drug testing requirements.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Kendrick, OK is simple and confidential, ensuring privacy and ease of use.
From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, each step is designed to address privacy concerns and stress-free experiences. Clients can rely on a straightforward, respectful process that prioritizes discretion and clarity throughout the testing journey.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With competitive pricing structures, Accredited Drug Testing in Kendrick, OK delivers excellent value.
Affordable rates combined with fast turnaround times make hair follicle testing accessible to businesses of all sizes. Companies benefit from outstanding service quality at a reasonable cost, providing peace of mind through economical and efficient substance testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Kendrick, OK, hair follicle drug tests offer fast and accurate results, enhancing the precision of substance detection.
The method provides high accuracy, ensuring detection of various substances. This efficient testing process confirms the presence of drugs swiftly, helping employers maintain health and safety standards without delay. Hair tests quickly deliver dependable results, establishing them as the preferred choice for thorough drug screening.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Kendrick, OK benefit from hair follicle testing, ensuring compliance with workplace drug-free policies.
This reliable method significantly reduces legal risks and enhances safety in the work environment. Companies utilizing hair testing are better equipped to maintain a drug-free workplace, offering peace of mind through consistent and thorough substance detection protocols.

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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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