Hair Follicle Drug Testing - South Tulsa, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair drug and alcohol detection using hair testing has emerged as an effective method. By capturing biomarkers within the fibers of growing hair, it offers a prolonged history of substance use. When obtained near the scalp, hair can reveal evidence of drugs and alcohol for up to roughly three months. The collection process is straightforward, tampering is relatively challenging, and transportation is uncomplicated.

To acquire an optimal sample for evaluation, a 1.5-inch portion consisting of around 200 hair strands (approximately a #2 pencil's thickness) adjacent to the scalp is ideal, yielding 100mg of hair. For EtG, additions, and/or comprehensive panels exceeding 10, a 150mg specimen is suggested. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for measurement is advisable. Should scalp hair be inadequate, an equivalent amount of body hair can be substituted. "Head hair" denotes scalp hair specifically, whereas "body hair" encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The drug test laboratory process involves four essential steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, samples are entered into the laboratory system. This stage includes confirming proper sealing and delivery of the sample, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and finalizing any supplementary data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening serves as an initial rapid assessment for drugs of abuse. While Screening efficiently identifies negative results for most samples, a positive outcome necessitates confirmation for legal admissibility. Any samples flagged as presumptive positives in Screening undergo secondary confirmation.

Should a sample test presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. This phase involves extracting drugs from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening a notably challenging technique to execute.

Confirmation for any positive screening outcomes is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS technologies. Presumptive positive samples are washed as required prior to confirmation. The comprehensive laboratory process, from Accessioning through Confirmation, is scrutinized under both CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a shorter detection span.
• Tough to manipulate: Cheating a hair drug test is exceedingly difficult, thus enhancing the reliability of the results.
• Historical insight: It offers a record of drug use patterns over time, as opposed to just recent usage.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent usage: Drugs typically require 5-7 days to become traceable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally carry a higher cost compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and unique growth differences can influence drug metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: The term "hair follicle tests" is common, yet the analysis itself focuses on the hair strand and not the subcutaneous follicle.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why opt for hair follicle testing over urine tests in South Tulsa, OK? Superior benefits abound. Unlike urine tests, hair analyses offer an exceptionally long detection time for drugs, usually up to 90 days. Furthermore, these tests are nearly impossible to falsify, providing peace of mind for employers and individuals alike.

Extended Detection Window

The ability of hair follicle testing to identify substance use over an extended range of up to 90 days sets it apart in South Tulsa, OK. This lengthy detection period allows employers to gain a comprehensive overview of an individual's substance history. Such insights are crucial for making educated hiring decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In South Tulsa, OK, hair follicle testing stands out as a highly tamper-resistant method for drug detection. By significantly minimizing the chances of adulterated samples, this method provides reliable and credible results that can be trusted by employers and individuals alike.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Experiencing the convenience of wide-reaching testing locations, including local centers in South Tulsa, OK, makes hair follicle testing more accessible than ever. Our expansive network of nationwide centers simplifies the process for all involved, ensuring quick, efficient service without hassle.

Simple, Confidential Process

In South Tulsa, OK, the process for hair follicle testing is both simple and confidential, addressing any privacy concerns. Ordering, completing, and receiving results is straightforward, guaranteeing discretion and ease throughout the experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

South Tulsa, OK benefits from the affordable pricing and rapid turnover times associated with hair follicle testing. This service ensures excellent value, offering competitive pricing structures and swift results that cater to companies of all sizes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

The swiftness and precision of hair follicle drug testing are unmatched in South Tulsa, OK. Fast, accurate results enable individuals and employers to make informed decisions quickly. Hair analysis can detect a wide range of substances with high reliability, ensuring no recent drug use goes unnoticed.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Implementing hair follicle testing in South Tulsa, OK ensures adherence to workplace drug policies, fostering compliance and tranquility for employers. With such rigorous testing protocols, legal risks are diminished, and work environments are safer for everyone involved.

Drug Testing Near South Tulsa, OK

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Bixby, 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.

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