Hair Follicle Drug Testing - King City, OR

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is recognized as an effective approach for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended historical record of alcohol and drug usage by capturing biomarkers in the fibers of the growing hair shaft. When sampled near the scalp, hair may provide up to a 90-day detection period for alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to gather, comparatively hard to tamper with, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment consisting of about 200 hair strands (roughly the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal amount for testing and verification. For EtG expansions, and/or analyses extending beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. It's best to weigh the hair on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be collected. When referring to head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair includes all other types (facial, underarm, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary stages involved in the lab analysis of a drug test outcome include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial processing of a sample within a lab's framework. This process ensures that the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and handles any additional data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening consists of an initial swift examination for substance misuse. While Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug usage for the majority of samples, a positive Screening result must be verified to hold legal credence. Any samples that test presumptively positive during Screening need subsequent verification.

Should a sample show presumptive positivity in the Screening phase, additional hair is taken from the initial sample and prepared for Extraction. At this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at substantially lower concentrations compared to other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug analysis the most challenging method to execute.

Verification of any positive Screening outcome is carried out through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before verification as necessary. The complete lab procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated according to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 norms.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extensive detection period: Hair drug assessments can identify drug usage for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests which have a reduced detection window.
• Difficult to deceive: It is exceedingly challenging to cheat a hair drug test, which enhances the accuracy of results.
• Historical data provision: It can reveal a trend of drug usage over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days after usage.
• Expense: Hair drug tests tend to be pricier than other drug testing procedures.
• Result variability: Factors such as hair color and individual differences in hair growth can impact the presence of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Despite often being termed "hair follicle tests", the analysis targets the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In King City, OR, hair follicle testing offers significant advantages over traditional urine tests. The superior detection accuracy of hair tests extends up to 90 days, far surpassing the shorter detection window of urine testing.

Another key advantage is the reliability of hair tests, as they are nearly impossible to manipulate or cheat during the testing process.

Hair testing provides a comprehensive look at an individual's substance use history, making it a preferred choice for employers and courts.

Extended Detection Window

In King City, OR, hair follicle testing extends the detection window for substance use up to 90 days, offering a more comprehensive view of an individual's drug history.

This extended detection period is crucial for employers who wish to understand an applicant's or employee's long-term substance habits.

The ability to look back at drug usage over a longer timeframe sets hair testing apart, providing valuable insights not possible with other testing forms.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

In King City, OR, hair follicle drug tests significantly mitigate the risk of sample tampering, ensuring the integrity of results.

The collection process is observed, eliminating opportunities for sample adulteration that may occur with other testing methods.

This tamper-resistant method provides reliable and unquestionable results, which are essential for maintaining trust in the testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

King City, OR, benefits from convenient nationwide testing centers that provide quick and efficient access to hair follicle testing services.

The widespread availability of testing locations ensures individuals can easily find a center nearby, simplifying the testing process.

With this extensive network, we offer hassle-free testing experiences, emphasizing convenience and accessibility for all.

Simple, Confidential Process

In King City, OR, the hair follicle testing process is both simple and confidential, ensuring user privacy and ease of use.

From ordering a test to receiving results, each step is designed to be straightforward and discreet.

Concerns of confidentiality are addressed through secure handling of test information, allowing for a stress-free testing experience.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In King City, OR, our hair follicle testing services offer competitive pricing with fast turnaround times, delivering exceptional value.

These affordable testing options are designed to cater to companies of all sizes, ensuring easy access to quality drug testing.

Our focus on cost-effectiveness and swift results provides peace of mind and supports informed decision-making for businesses.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In King City, OR, hair follicle drug testing stands out for delivering fast, accurate, and reliable results. The precision of these tests ensures that substance use is detected with high accuracy.

This method offers a superior level of detection because it identifies drug use over an extended period, reducing the chances of false negatives.

By choosing hair follicle testing, individuals and organizations can trust the speed and reliability of the results, ensuring informed decision-making.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In King City, OR, hair follicle testing provides employers with assurance through compliance with drug-free workplace policies.

This method reduces legal risks by ensuring adherence to safety standards and minimizing incidents related to substance use.

By implementing hair testing, employers cultivate a safer work environment, offering peace of mind and promoting workplace stability.

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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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