Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Cascade, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair testing has gained a reputation as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair offers an extended record of alcohol and drug usage by capturing biomarkers within the fibers of the hair as it grows. When collected near the scalp, hair provides a detection timeframe of up to roughly three months for alcohol and drugs. Hair collection is straightforward, somewhat resistant to tampering, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch portion of roughly 200 hair strands (approximately #2 pencil width) located closest to the scalp yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for both screening and confirmation. For EtG, additional tests, or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is suggested to weigh the sample using a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, the collection of an equivalent amount of body hair is permissible. When referencing head hair, it pertains only to scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result consists of four principal stages: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the initial processing of a sample within a laboratory's system. This includes ensuring the sample was securely sealed and dispatched, assigning a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and fulfilling any supplementary data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary quick analysis for drugs of abuse. While Screening is an economical approach to exclude drug use in most samples, a positive result necessitates confirmation for court admissibility. Samples that are presumptively positive during Screening require additional confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive at the Screening stage, extra hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. During this phase, drugs are extracted from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), highlighting the complexity of hair drug screening.

Positive screening results undergo Confirmation via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleaned prior to confirmation as required. The comprehensive laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is assessed under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can reveal drug usage for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests which have a shorter detection timeframe.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is very challenging, ensuring more reliable results.
• Offers historical insights: It presents a pattern of drug use over time, not merely recent usage.

Limitations:

• Cannot identify recent usage: Drugs typically become detectable in hair after 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are usually more costly than other drug testing methodologies.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual growth rates can influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: While commonly labeled as "hair follicle tests," the test actually examines the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Cascade, CO is clear when considering its advantages. Hair tests boast superior detection accuracy and reliability over traditional urine tests.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Cascade, CO provides a much longer detection window. This method reveals drug use over the past 90 days, offering a detailed perspective on a person's substance record.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

One of the major benefits of hair follicle tests in Cascade, CO is their resilience against sample tampering. These tests deliver credible and incontestable results.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The convenience of our nationwide and local Cascade, CO testing centers cannot be overstated. They guarantee quick and seamless access to drug testing services.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process is simple and confidential in Cascade, CO, from ordering to testing and receiving results. Privacy and ease of use are of utmost importance.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Cascade, CO have never been better. Our competitive rates and swift processing times offer great value for businesses.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Cascade, CO, hair follicle drug tests stand out with their speed and precision. They promise superior accuracy in detecting substance use, enabling stakeholders to rely on the test outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Employers in Cascade, CO gain peace of mind with hair follicle testing. This approach ensures compliance with drug-free policies, minimizing legal liabilities and promoting a safe work environment.

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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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