Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Loyal, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective approach for identifying drug and alcohol use. It captures enduring evidence of alcohol and drug intake by embedding biomarkers in the strands of growing hair. When harvested near the scalp, hair reveals a detection period of up to three months for both alcohol and drugs. The collection process is straightforward, it's relatively resistant to tampering, and it is simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch hair sample, roughly equivalent to 200 strands or the size of a #2 pencil, is required for testing and verification, yielding 100mg of hair, which is ideal for standard screening. For tests involving EtG or more than ten drug panels, a 150mg specimen is suggested. Accurate measurement using a jeweler's scale is advised. If scalp hair isn't accessible, a comparable volume of body hair can be gathered. "Head hair" specifically implies scalp hair, while "body hair" includes all other types such as facial or axillary hair.

Process Overview

The key stages in a lab's drug result analysis process are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, the sample is first recorded in the lab's system. This step ensures the sample is correctly sealed and shipped, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and incorporates any essential data absent from an electronic chain of custody.

Screening is a preliminary evaluation for drug presence. Though cost-effective for excluding drug use in most samples, positive findings at this stage must be verified to be legally valid. Results showing a presumptive positive in Screening necessitate further validation.

For samples testing presumptive positive during Screening, additional hair is taken from the initial sample for Extraction. In this step, drugs are recovered from hair in much lower concentrations than in methods like urine or saliva tests, highlighting hair drug testing's complexity.

Validation of any positive screening is performed with GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Presumptive positive samples undergo washing before confirmation as required. The laboratory process, from Accessioning through to Confirmation, is scrutinized under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and adheres to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug use up to 90 days, contrasting with urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Challenging to manipulate: Hair drug tests are difficult to falsify, enhancing result accuracy.
• Historical usage pattern: It supplies an account of drug use patterns over a timeframe, beyond just recent consumption.

Drawbacks:

• Incapable of detecting immediate usage: It generally requires 5-7 days for drugs to manifest in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher costs than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and individual hair growth variations can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Frequently termed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis actually targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Loyal, OK

• Compared to traditional urine tests, hair testing offers superior detection by capturing a broader drug use history and thus providing more reliable and accurate results.
• The extended detection capability with hair testing offers a robust solution over urine, minimizing attempts to falsify or interfere with results.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Loyal, OK

• Hair follicle testing excels with its ability to reveal drug consumption over an extended period of up to 90 days, offering employers a complete view of an individual's substance use history.
• This long detection window serves as a pivotal tool in screening applicants or monitoring employees efficiently.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Loyal, OK

• Hair follicle drug tests drastically cut down the chances for sample adulteration, providing results that are both reliable and unquestionable.
• Employers and legal entities benefit from this method's integrity, reducing the possibility of compromised results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Loyal, OK

• Our wide-spanning network of testing centers ensures ease and convenience for testing services, with locations accessible nationwide, including in Loyal, OK.
• This extensive reach enables quick, straightforward access, minimizing inconvenience for all clients.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Loyal, OK

• The process for ordering and receiving results is designed to be straightforward, safeguarding user privacy and enhancing ease of use.
• Our focus on confidentiality reassures individuals throughout the testing journey, maintaining their peace of mind.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Loyal, OK

• With competitive pricing and swift result delivery, our services present excellent value, catering to businesses of various sizes efficiently.
• Quick processing times ensure that results are not only cost-effective but also timely, aiding prompt decision-making.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Loyal, OK

• Hair follicle testing stands out for its precision and swiftness, ensuring high accuracy in substance use detection, providing dependable results promptly.
• The timely turnaround times mean that decisions can be made based on solid, trustworthy data, aiding various stakeholders in Loyal, OK.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Loyal, OK

• Through hair follicle testing, businesses can adhere to drug-free workplace policies, diminishing legal repercussions and bolstering workplace security.
• This testing pathway assures employers of their compliance, contributing to an overall safer professional environment.

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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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