Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Gardner, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair assessments have emerged as a significant method for identifying substance consumption, including drugs and alcohol. Hair preserves a long-term record of substances by incorporating biomarkers within the hair strand. A sample taken near the scalp can offer a retrospective insight of up to 3 months for alcohol and drug detection. Hair is easy to collect, hard to tamper with, and convenient to transport.

Gathering a 1.5-inch segment of roughly 200 hair strands (comparable to a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields about 100mg of hair, which is optimal for analysis and confirmation. For comprehensive testing, such as EtG or more than 10-panel screenings, a sample of 150mg is advised. It's recommended to measure the hair sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair isn't available, a similar quantity of body hair can be used. References to head hair specifically indicate scalp hair, whereas body hair encompasses all other types such as facial and axillary hair.

Process Insight

The laboratory management of drug test outcomes is composed of four principal phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning entails the preliminary integration of a sample into the lab's framework. This process verifies that the sample was correctly sealed and dispatched, assigns it a random Laboratory Accessioning Number (LAN), and finalizes any additional input not captured by an electronic chain of custody infrastructure.

Screening conducts an initial, swift examination for drug indications. Although cost-efficient for excluding drug presence in most instances, positive screens necessitate further confirmation for legal acceptability. Any samples showing a presumptive positive outcome during Screening need a follow-up confirmation.

Should a sample show a presumptive positive result during the Screening phase, additional hair is extracted from the primary sample for processing in Extraction. Here, substances are isolated from hair at noticeably lower concentrations than other techniques (e.g., urine or saliva), marking hair analysis as a notably challenging approach to execute.

Positive findings from screening procedures are authenticated through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumptive positive results undergo cleaning before confirmation as necessary. From Accessioning through Confirmation, the full laboratory operation adheres to CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair criteria and complies with ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug analysis:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests identify drug consumption over a period of up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a shorter timeframe.
• Hard to deceive: Cheating a hair drug test is extremely challenging, ensuring more reliable results.
• Historical record: It offers a chronological pattern of substance use, not just recent intake.

Drawbacks:

• Inability to determine recent consumption: Drugs become identifiable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically costlier compared to alternative testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements such as hair color and individual hair growth differences may influence drug metabolite concentrations in hair.

Note: Despite being commonly termed as "hair follicle tests", the examination actually analyzes the hair strand instead of the follicle located beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

In Gardner, CO, hair follicle tests triumph over urine tests by providing unmatched accuracy and detection reliability. While urine tests can only detect recent usage, hair tests excel with their extended detection period. This advantage helps employers uphold a robust, drug-free environment with more confidence.

Extended Detection Window

Hair follicle testing in Gardner, CO, allows detection of drug use over a span of up to 90 days. This extended detection window grants employers a detailed insight into one's substance history, offering certainty in evaluating a candidate's suitability or an employee's adherence to company policies.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Gardner, CO, benefits from the tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing. This method minimizes the chance of sample adulteration, ensuring that the results remain reliable and beyond question. Such security fosters trust and credibility in any testing process.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

The convenience of our nationwide testing centers in Gardner, CO, cannot be overstated. Whether you're in need of quick, accessible testing services locally or elsewhere, our widespread network ensures that testing remains stress-free and efficient for everyone involved.

Simple, Confidential Process

In Gardner, CO, our hair testing process is both simple and confidential. Ordering, completing the test, and receiving results are handled with utmost privacy. This user-friendly approach eases concerns over confidentiality and ensures a seamless experience throughout.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

For businesses in Gardner, CO, hair follicle testing combines affordable pricing with rapid turnaround times. This balance ensures that companies of all sizes receive good value for their investment, coupled with the peace of mind that comes from swift, reliable testing outcomes.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Gardner, CO, hair drug testing signifies swift and highly accurate results. The superior precision of this method ensures any substance use is swiftly detected. This accuracy makes it an invaluable tool for employers and institutions looking to maintain high standards of safety and accountability.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In Gardner, CO, adopting hair follicle testing assists employers in achieving compliance with drug-free workplace policies. This approach reduces legal vulnerabilities and enhances safety, offering peace of mind that your workforce remains free from substance abuse impact.

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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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