Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Seaside, OR

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has emerged as a significant instrument for detecting drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended history of substance use by encapsulating biomarkers within the structure of the growing hair strand. Collected near the scalp, hair can reflect a detection window of up to roughly 3 months for alcohol and other substances. Hair collection is straightforward, relatively tamper-resistant, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch segment comprising approximately 200 strands of hair (about #2 pencil thickness) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for screening and confirmation. For EtG, supplementary analysis, and/or tests beyond 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advisable. Utilizing a jeweler’s scale for specimen weighing is suggested. If scalp hair is not accessible, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be used. When mentioning head hair, we refer exclusively to scalp hair. Body hair pertains to other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result comprises four key steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning starts with the introductory processing of a sample into the laboratory’s framework. This process confirms the sample was correctly sealed and shipped, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any extra data entry absent in an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary rapid assessment for substances of abuse. While Screening serves as a cost-efficient method to exclude drug usage across most samples, a positive indication requires confirmation for court admissibility. Samples that are presumptively positive during Screening necessitate further confirmation.

In cases where Screening suggests positivity, additional hair from the initial specimen is prepared for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at a much reduced concentration than in alternative methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), illustrating the complexity of hair drug screening.

A positive screening is confirmed through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleansed before confirmation as necessary. The full laboratory workflow from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 standards accreditation.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair tests can reveal drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests with a shorter detection span.
• Resistance to tampering: Hair drug tests are notoriously difficult to adulterate, enhancing accuracy.
• Historical insight: Provides a long-term view of drug use patterns, not just immediate consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs become detectable in hair around 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug testing typically incurs higher costs compared to other methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth variations may impact drug metabolite concentration.

Note: Although commonly called "hair follicle tests", the evaluation targets the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Hair follicle tests in Seaside, OR offer distinct advantages over urine tests. The enhanced detection accuracy of hair tests confirms past drug use up to 90 days, surpassing the limited timeframe urine tests provide. Employers benefit from this comprehensive view.

Reliability is another strength of hair tests compared to urine tests. With more extensive detection windows, employers and courts have greater assurance in tracking an individual’s substance history.

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Seaside, OR turn to hair follicle drug testing for its extended detection window, allowing for comprehensive substance use history checks. Unlike traditional urine tests, hair testing detects drug use over much longer periods.

By offering insights into drug use spanning up to 90 days, these tests provide employers a panoramic view of an applicant or employee's habits, enhancing decision-making processes effectively.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Seaside, OR stands out as a tamper-resistant method, significantly reducing the risks of sample adulteration. Its robust collection process ensures reliable and authentic test outcomes.

The integrity of hair follicle tests is hard to compromise, providing employers and courts peace of mind knowing the results reflect true substance use history, unlike urine samples.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accredited Drug Testing offers convenience through numerous test centers across the nation, including Seaside, OR, ensuring quick and hassle-free access to testing services.

Our widespread network allows individuals and businesses to easily locate our facilities, booking tests seamlessly while benefiting from our localized services, delivering ease and efficiency.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process of hair follicle testing in Seaside, OR is simple and confidential. Ordering, testing, and receiving results is straightforward, ensuring privacy and ease.

Concerns about confidentiality are addressed inherently within our process, making it reassuring for individuals and businesses to engage in drug testing without apprehension.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Seaside, OR, we offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times for hair follicle drug testing, making our services accessible and efficient.

Our innovative processes ensure excellent value while providing rapid results, an appealing benefit for companies across different sizes, seeking assurance and cost-effective solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Seaside, OR, hair follicle drug tests provide exceptional accuracy and rapid results, making them a trusted option for employers. The precision of hair testing in identifying substance use is unrivaled. Its swift and precise results deliver a high degree of certainty, ensuring reliability for detecting drugs.

The advanced technology behind hair follicle tests in Seaside guarantees quick turnaround times without compromising on accuracy. Their efficiency in identifying drug usage boosts their appeal over traditional methods.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Seaside, OR employers find assurance in hair follicle testing, which aligns with drug-free workplace policies. This testing method helps in maintaining compliance while minimizing legal risks.

Incorporating hair testing into workplace drug policies enhances safety, giving employers peace of mind as they showcase diligence in sustaining a drug-free environment, thereby boosting overall workplace safety.

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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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