Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Oakdale, PA

What it is, How it works

Hair assessments have emerged as a significant means for detecting substance and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended overview of alcohol and drug history by encapsulating biomarkers within the strands of the hair as it grows. When taken near the scalp, hair can reveal up to a 3-month timeframe for detecting alcohol and other substances. Hair collection is straightforward, less prone to tampering, and easy to transport.

A 1.5-inch section of around 200 hair strands (resembling the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, the preferred amount for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, or tests exceeding 10 panels, a sample of 150mg is advisable. It is suggested to measure the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, an equivalent quantity of body hair may be gathered. "Head hair" specifically denotes scalp hair only, while "body hair" refers to all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Steps Involved

The four core phases in processing a drug test in a lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning pertains to the initial integration of a sample into the laboratory’s framework. This stage ensures the sample is properly sealed and dispatched, assigns a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fills out any additional data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs an initial assessment for illicit substances. While cost-effective for eliminating drug use across most samples, a positive screening result requires further confirmation for legal admissibility. Any samples flagged as presumptively positive in Screening necessitate another confirmation phase.

When a sample is deemed presumptively positive during Screening, additional hair is extracted from the original sample and readied for Extraction. During this step, the drugs are extracted from hair at notably lower concentrations than other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which presents challenges, making hair drug testing a complex procedure.

Positive screening confirmations are executed using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. Presumptive positives undergo a washing step before confirmation as required. The entire lab process from Accessioning through Confirmation is audited under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Pros of Hair Drug Testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug evaluations can identify drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine tests have briefer detection spans.
• Difficult to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is challenging, lending greater accuracy to the outcomes.
• Delivers chronological data: Offers a history of drug use trends over time, not just recent activity.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to detect recent use: Drugs require roughly 5-7 days to manifest in hair.
• Expense: Generally costlier than alternative drug testing approaches.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and personal hair growth variations can impact drug metabolite levels in hair.

Note: While sometimes called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted on the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Oakdale, PA, hair follicle testing is increasingly favored over traditional urine testing due to its superior benefits. Detecting substance use over an extended period enhances reliability and accuracy, providing evidence of drug use far beyond what urine tests can uncover, making them invaluable for safety-conscious employers.

Unlike urine tests, which might miss sporadic drug use, hair tests offer a wider window of detection, unveiling habits that other methods might overlook. Oakdale employers and organizations find hair testing a more thorough and trustworthy alternative, reducing risks and ensuring adherence to policies.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Oakdale, PA, considerably extends the drug usage detection window. While urine tests generally detect recent usage within a few days, hair tests can identify drug consumption up to 90 days prior. This long detection period is vital for employers desiring a comprehensive view of an employee's substance habits.

By covering a more extended timeframe, hair testing provides detailed insights into patterns of drug use. It uncovers use that might go unnoticed with traditional methods, beneficial for maintaining a drug-free environment in the workplace.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in Oakdale, PA, offers a robust solution against sample adulteration. With collections performed under direct observation and the hard-to-manipulate nature of hair samples, tamper resistance is a significant advantage, ensuring integrity and confidence in test results.

The reliable methods of hair testing minimize the risk of fabricating outcomes, which is a challenge for some other test types. Employing hair tests reinforces a trustworthy approach to substance detection, providing Oakdale employers peace of mind regarding test authenticity.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Accessible testing facilities across Oakdale, PA, make hair follicle testing convenient. With numerous nationwide centers, you can quickly and effortlessly obtain the testing services you need. Local centers further enhance accessibility and efficiency for both individuals and organizations.

The ease of reaching testing locations ensures stress-free scheduling, allowing seamless integration of drug testing into daily operations without disruption. This accessibility enhances the testing experience in Oakdale.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Oakdale, PA, hair follicle testing processes are straightforward and confidential. From ordering to taking the test and receiving results, every step is designed with privacy and convenience in mind, alleviating any concerns about confidentiality or complexity in the testing journey.

The simple implementation ensures that individuals and companies experience minimal disruption, offering an easy road to obtaining reliable results without hindrances. This ensures comfort and satisfaction with the entire process in Oakdale.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Providing hair follicle testing in Oakdale, PA, at competitive prices ensures that businesses of all sizes can access the advantages of drug testing. Affordable pricing structures and quick result turnaround times deliver excellent value, ensuring companies maintain industry standards without financial strain.

With cost-effective solutions tailored for Oakdale, businesses and individuals alike find ease in incorporating reliable testing measures. Lower expenditures and rapid outcomes enhance overall testing satisfaction and support strategy goals.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Oakdale, PA, hair follicle drug tests are renowned for their speed and accuracy. Fast results equip employers and individuals with vital insights into substance use history, fostering informed decisions. Reliable detection abilities ensure that the tests provide trustworthy outcomes that support workplace safety and policy compliance.

Precision in Oakdale is a guarantee with hair follicle testing. The high accuracy levels mean you can trust the results to reflect a genuine substance history, unlike other testing methods. Hair tests capture more comprehensive data effectively, leaving little room for uncertainty or doubt.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Oakdale, PA, implementing hair follicle testing helps maintain strict adherence to workplace drug policies. The robust nature of these tests supports businesses in reducing legal liabilities and enhancing overall safety, resulting in peace of mind for employers.

By choosing hair testing, Oakdale employers experience confidence and security knowing their drug-screening process aligns with industry standards. With increased safety, productivity, and minimized risks, businesses find substantial value in consistent compliance.

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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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