Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Wewoka, OK

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as a robust method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair encases a long-term record of alcohol and drug use by capturing biomarkers within the hair fibers as they develop. When sampled near the scalp, hair can indicate alcohol and drug use over a detection window of up to around three months. Collecting hair is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of roughly 200 hairs (similar in thickness to a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg, which is the ideal amount for testing and verification. For EtG testing, additional tests, and tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advised. It's beneficial to use a jeweler’s scale to weigh the sample. If scalp hair is not accessible, the equivalent quantity of body hair may be utilized. When discussing head hair, we refer exclusively to scalp hair, while body hair indicates all other hair types (e.g., facial, underarm).

Process Overview

The laboratory analysis of drug test samples involves four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

During Accessioning, the sample undergoes initial processing in a laboratory’s system. This phase involves checking that the sample was properly sealed and dispatched, assigning a LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any necessary data entry absent from an e-chain of custody.

Screening serves as an initial evaluation for substance abuse detection. While Screening is a cost-effective technique to eliminate drug use in most samples, a positive outcome from the screen requires confirmation in a court setting. Samples presumed positive in Screening necessitate secondary verification.

If Screening suggests positivity, additional hair is obtained from the original sample for Extraction. In this phase, drug substances are retrieved from the hair at lower concentrations than other methods (like urine or saliva), making hair drug testing a challenging technique to execute.

Positives from Screening go through Confirmation through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS techniques. Pre-confirmation, all presumptive positive samples undergo washing as required. The comprehensive lab process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair guidelines and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests reveal drug usage up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with shorter detection periods.
• Challenging to falsify: It's highly challenging to alter a hair drug test, thus ensuring more reliable results.
• Reflects usage history: It shows a timeline of drug usage across months rather than just recent instances.

Limitations:

• Cannot trace recent usage: Detection in hair takes 5-7 days post-drug use.
• Cost factor: Typically, hair drug tests are costlier than alternative drug screening methods.
• Result variability: Variances in factors like hair color and individual hair growth rates may influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Referred to as “hair follicle tests” in common parlance, these tests assess the hair strand, not the follicle under the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Wewoka, OK, the advantages of hair follicle testing over urine testing are significant. Highlights include superior detection accuracy and reliability. While urine tests are limited to detecting recent drug use, hair tests uncover substance presence over a much longer timeframe, ensuring comprehensive substance history analysis.

Extended Detection Window

With a detection window that extends up to 90 days, hair follicle testing offers employers in Wewoka, OK, a broader glimpse into an individual's drug use history. This extended window assists in evaluating long-term patterns of substance use, rather than just a snapshot, thus providing a deeper understanding of an employee or applicant's substance habits.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Wewoka, OK, is known for its tamper-resistant nature. Unlike other methods, hair samples are nearly impossible to adulterate, ensuring the integrity of the testing process. This reliability in safeguarding against sample tampering makes hair tests a trustworthy option for accurate results that are beyond reproach.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The convenience of local and nationwide testing centers in Wewoka, OK, ensures that individuals and businesses can swiftly access necessary drug testing services. Our widespread network facilitates easy appointment scheduling without the stress of travel or lengthy waits, accommodating various needs promptly and efficiently.

Simple, Confidential Process

Accredited Drug Testing in Wewoka, OK, offers a simple, confidential process for ordering and receiving hair follicle test results. This approach guarantees privacy, simplifying the experience for both companies and individuals who prioritize ease and confidentiality when testing for substance use.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Our hair follicle testing in Wewoka, OK, stands out for its affordable pricing and rapid turnaround. Whether for small businesses or large corporations, competitive pricing and prompt results ensure excellent value, enabling companies to maintain budget-friendly and efficient substance testing protocols.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, accurate, and reliable results are a cornerstone of hair follicle drug testing in Wewoka, OK. The precision offered by this testing method ensures substance use detection with impressive accuracy. Employers and individuals alike benefit from the swift processing and clear results, allowing for timely decisions and peace of mind when assessing substance presence.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Wewoka, OK, can experience enhanced compliance and peace of mind with hair follicle testing. Implementing this testing format aligns with drug-free workplace policies, minimizing legal exposure and supporting a safe working environment. This method secures both company integrity and employee safety through reliable substance detection.

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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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