Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Weathers, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair screening is now recognized as an effective means to identify drug and alcohol consumption. Hair retains a comprehensive record of substance intake by incorporating biomarkers within the strands as they grow. When sampled near the scalp, hair can offer a detection period of up to around three months for both alcohol and drugs. Collecting hair is straightforward, relatively hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is the ideal amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG add-ons and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the specimen is advised. We suggest weighing the specimen with a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be gathered. When mentioning head hair, we refer solely to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair forms (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four fundamental stages involved in the laboratory processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial handling of a sample into the laboratory's system. This encompasses verifying that the sample was appropriately sealed and transported, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and concluding any extra data input not captured by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid test for drugs of abuse. While Screening is a cost-efficient method to dismiss drug usage for most samples, a positive result requires confirmation to be legally acceptable. Any samples indicating a presumptive positive in Screening necessitate further confirmation.

If a sample is presumptive positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the original specimen and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are drawn out from hair at much lower concentrations than through other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to execute.

Confirmation of any positive screening outcome is achieved through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive specimens are cleansed before confirmation if necessary. The complete laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can trace drug consumption for as long as 90 days, whereas urine tests have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to falsify: It is exceedingly difficult to deceive a hair drug test, resulting in more reliable outcomes.
• Offers historical insights: It can reveal patterns of drug use over time, rather than just recent usage.

Drawbacks:

• Cannot identify recent activity: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to become traceable in hair.
• Cost: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than other drug testing techniques.
• Result variations: Aspects like hair color and individual differences in hair growth can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in hair.

Note: Although often termed as "hair follicle tests," the examination focuses on analyzing the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle testing in Weathers, OK, surpasses urine tests in effectiveness and reliability. Unlike urine tests, hair testing can detect drug use over an extended period, up to 90 days, offering a broader view of an individual's substance consumption.

The precision of hair follicle tests means fewer false negatives or positives, providing a more dependable assessment than urine tests, which are limited to recent drug use detection.

Extended Detection Window

With a detection window reaching up to 90 days, hair follicle testing in Weathers, OK, stands out for its comprehensive substance use history. This extended period allows employers to better assess an individual’s long-term sobriety.

By capturing a detailed record of drug use over several months, hair follicle tests offer valuable insights into an applicant's or employee’s past behaviors, helping employers make informed decisions.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle drug tests in Weathers, OK, provide a tamper-resistant approach, significantly reducing the risk of sample manipulation. This reliability makes hair testing an ideal choice for situations requiring unquestionable results.

In contrast to other methods, the robustness of hair follicle testing ensures that the integrity of the results is upheld, offering peace of mind to those relying on the data for critical decisions.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers extensive reach, with nationwide and local testing centers in Weathers, OK. This network facilitates quick and convenient access to our hair follicle testing services without hassle.

In Weathers, our strategically placed locations guarantee that individuals and businesses can efficiently meet their testing needs without traveling far, ensuring minimal disruption and ease of accessibility.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of ordering, taking, and receiving results from hair follicle tests in Weathers, OK, is both simple and confidential. This ease of use ensures clients' privacy concerns are addressed, providing peace of mind.

From booking a test to obtaining results, each step is designed to be straightforward, ensuring that both individuals and companies experience a dignified and secure service throughout the testing procedure.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Accredited Drug Testing in Weathers, OK, provides competitive pricing and fast turnaround times for hair follicle testing. This combination ensures affordability while maintaining high standards of service.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from our cost-effective solutions, which do not compromise on quality or speed, thus delivering excellent value and maintaining peace of mind with reliable results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Weathers, OK, hair follicle drug tests offer unparalleled accuracy and speed in detecting substances. Their precision ensures that results are reliable and comprehensive, providing assurance to both individuals and institutions.

The quick processing time of hair follicle tests in Weathers ensures timely results, making them ideal for urgent testing needs. This speed does not compromise on accuracy, ensuring high-quality detection of substance usage.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Weathers, OK, can rely on hair follicle testing to ensure compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This method reduces legal risks while enhancing safety and reliability in the workplace.

By implementing hair testing, companies can demonstrate their commitment to a safe working environment, thus fostering trust and confidence among employees and stakeholders alike.

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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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