Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Tenkiller, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair testing is recognized as an effective method for detecting drug and alcohol usage. Hair offers a comprehensive historical record of alcohol and substance use by capturing biomarkers in the strands. When sourced near the scalp, hair can reflect up to a 3-month period of alcohol and drug intake. The process of hair collection is straightforward, resisting tampering efforts, and is easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment, comprising around 200 strands (comparable to a #2 pencil), nearest the scalp, yields 100mg, optimal for initial testing and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or analyses beyond 10 panels, a 150mg sample is advisable. We suggest using a jeweler’s scale for accuracy. If scalp hair cannot be collected, a similar quantity of body hair can be acquired. Head hair specifically refers to scalp hair, while body hair includes all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory procedure for processing a drug test result includes four primary steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning covers the first phase of a sample's entry into a lab system. This entails checking the sample's seal and shipment integrity, allocating a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any outstanding data entry not covered by an electronic custody system.

Screening consists of a preliminary review for drug presence. Although Screening is economical for excluding drug use in most samples, a positive screen requires confirmation for legal admissibility. Samples that are presumptively positive in Screening must undergo subsequent confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive result in Screening, additional hair is extracted from the sample for the Extraction phase. Drugs are extracted from hair at lower concentrations compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair testing a challenging method to execute.

Any positive Screening result is verified through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before Confirmation if necessary. The entire lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is audited under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair credential and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug consumption up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have a more limited period.
• Resistance to tampering: Hair drug tests are challenging to deceive, resulting in higher accuracy.
• Historical usage patterns: It illustrates a history of drug use, beyond recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent intake: Drugs are only traceable in hair after about 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests usually incur higher costs compared to other methods.
• Result variability: Differences like hair color and individual growth rates can influence drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair shaft rather than the follicle underneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Surpasses Urine Testing in Tenkiller, OK

Hair follicle tests shine with enhanced detection accuracy and reliability compared to traditional urine tests. Their unyielding precision makes them the gold standard for identifying long-term drug use, giving employers in Tenkiller the assurance of comprehensive assessments.

When it comes to stringent drug policies, hair testing surpasses urine tests by offering a broader overview of an individual's substance history, ensuring safer and drug-free workplaces.

Extended Detection Window

In Tenkiller, Oklahoma, hair follicle testing offers an extended detection window of up to 90 days. This lengthened period allows employers to obtain a thorough understanding of an individual's substance use history, well beyond the capabilities of conventional tests.

This comprehensive insight is invaluable for making informed hiring decisions, as it provides a reliable view of candidates' habits and compliance with drug-free workplace policies.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Tenkiller, OK, offers a tamper-resistant method that significantly diminishes the likelihood of sample adulteration. This ensures that the results are both reliable and credible, upholding the integrity of the testing process.

The process's design makes it virtually impossible to alter samples, offering peace of mind and confidence in the results, critical for courts and employers enforcing strict drug policies.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing provides convenient nationwide and local testing locations in Tenkiller, OK. Our widespread centers facilitate quick, easy access to testing services, alleviating the logistical burdens often associated with drug testing processes.

Having easily accessible local centers ensures that both individuals and businesses can avail themselves of testing services without hassle, strengthening the community's commitment to a drug-free society.

Simple, Confidential Process

The hair follicle testing process in Tenkiller, OK, is designed to be simple and confidential. From ordering to receiving results, every step ensures privacy and ease of use, addressing concerns about the testing experience.

Our streamlined approach guarantees that personal information remains secure, empowering individuals and companies to partake in the process confidently.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering affordable pricing and swift turnaround times in Tenkiller, OK, hair follicle testing provides excellent value for companies of all sizes. Cost-effective solutions combined with fast results make them an attractive choice for businesses aiming to uphold drug-free policies without breaking the bank.

These competitive advantages play a significant role in ensuring that businesses can effectively manage their drug testing requirements efficiently and financially sustainably.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Tenkiller, OK, hair follicle drug tests deliver quick and precise results, offering a high level of accuracy in determining substance use. Their ability to identify drugs within hair strands ensures reliable findings for employers and individuals alike.

Highlighting the swift nature and precision of hair follicle tests, they stand out by efficiently processing samples to reveal drug use histories, thus serving as a dependable tool for drug screening in various settings.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Tenkiller, OK, employing hair follicle testing provides businesses with compliance and peace of mind, ensuring adherence to drug-free workplace policies. By reducing legal risks and enhancing safety, companies foster a more harmonious and productive work environment.

This testing method is especially valuable for maintaining rigorous standards and avoiding the pitfalls of drug-related workplace incidents.

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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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