Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Reydon, OK

What it is, How it works

The analysis of hair is widely recognized as an effective method for revealing alcohol and drug consumption. Hair strands capture biomarkers in their fibers, offering a comprehensive history of alcohol and drug use. With samples taken near the scalp, hair can reveal drug and alcohol use over an approximate three-month period. It is straightforward to collect, challenging to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A hair sample of 1.5 inches consisting of about 200 strands (about the diameter of a #2 pencil) near the scalp provides 100mg, which is ideal for screening and verification. For testing involving EtG, additional tests, or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of sample is needed. It's advisable to weigh the sample with a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is not available, an equivalent amount of body hair may be used. "Head hair" specifically refers to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other types (facial hair, armpit hair, etc.).

Process Overview

There are four key stages in the laboratory process of deriving a drug test result: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning refers to the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory’s system, including the validation of proper sealing and shipping, the assigning of a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as an initial, rapid assessment for illicit substances. While Screening is a practical approach to rule out drug use in the majority of samples, any positive result requires further confirmation for court acceptance. All samples testing presumptively positive during Screening must undergo another round of testing.

When a sample is presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample for the Extraction process. This phase removes drugs from the hair at a significantly finer concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a notably complex process.

The Confirmation of any positive outcome in Screening is achieved using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positive samples are washed as necessary before confirmation. The full laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection duration: Hair drug tests can identify drug use up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to tamper with: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, increasing the accuracy of results.
• Historical usage patterns: It offers insight into drug use over time, beyond just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent usage: Drugs become detectable in hair within approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally cost more than other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: While often misnamed as "hair follicle tests," the analysis focuses on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Choosing hair follicle testing over urine tests in Reydon, OK, offers remarkable benefits. Hair tests are not only more accurate but also capture a longer history of substance use, providing a comprehensive assessment. This surpasses routine urine tests, which might miss longer-term usage.

Employers in Reydon, OK value the reliable detection of drug use through hair testing, providing them with an accurate substance use history and reducing workplace incidents linked to substance abuse.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle tests in Reydon, OK are invaluable for their extended detection window, tracing drug use up to 90 days prior. This capability offers employers deep insights into an individual's substance habits, making hiring decisions more informed.

The lengthy detection period of hair testing allows employers to see a detailed overview of a candidate or employee's substance use history, ensuring responsible and safe workplace practices in Reydon, OK.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Reydon, OK benefits from hair follicle testing as it reduces the risk of tampering. The unique methodology behind hair testing makes it extremely challenging to alter results, ensuring reliability.

Hair testing's robust nature minimizes adulteration and substitution attempts, making it a trustworthy solution for drug testing in professional settings.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers conveniently located centers throughout Reydon, OK and nationwide, ensuring easy access to hair follicle testing services. This widespread availability means that quick, hassle-free testing can be conducted practically anywhere.

Reydon, OK residents and employers benefit from local and national testing centers, providing essential drug testing services without the inconvenience of long-distance travel.

Simple, Confidential Process

At our Reydon, OK centers, the hair follicle testing process is straightforward and private. Clients can order tests, undergo testing, and receive results confidentially, addressing both privacy and ease of use concerns.

This simple, unintrusive process reassures individuals and employers that they will receive accurate results securely, without stress or complexity.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

With competitive pricing, Accredited Drug Testing offers Reydon, OK affordable hair follicle testing with quick turnaround times, ensuring excellent value for businesses. Our transparent service provides great assurance.

Our efficient testing service coupled with cost-effective solutions allows companies, regardless of size, to benefit from high-quality drug testing services in Reydon, OK.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Reydon, OK, hair follicle drug tests provide incredibly accurate and speedy results. The precision in detecting substances in hair far surpasses other methods, offering clear results quickly. This accuracy ensures that employers and individuals can rely on the findings to provide a safe and trustworthy workplace environment.

Hair follicle tests stand out in offering fast, reliable outcomes due to their method of analysis. This makes them an excellent choice for organizations needing prompt and decisive insights into substance use.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Reydon, OK, hair follicle testing ensures compliance with drug-free workplace policies, offering employers peace of mind. This testing aligns with legal standards, reducing risks related to workplace drug use litigation.

With stringent drug-free mandates, Reydon, OK companies can rely on hair testing to maintain safety and legality, making it an ideal choice for 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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