Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Glen Haven, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as a robust instrument for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair strands encapsulate biomarkers within the fibers, offering an extended historical record of substance use. Collected near the scalp, hair can reveal substance presence over a near 3-month span. Collecting hair is straightforward, with minimal risk of tampering, and it ships conveniently.

A 1.5-inch section comprising roughly 200 hair strands (similar in size to a #2 pencil) nearest the scalp yields 100mg of hair, ideal for both screening and verification. For EtG, additional components, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg is advised. It's recommended to measure the sample with a jeweler's scale. If scalp hair isn't accessible, a comparable quantity of body hair may suffice. "Head hair" strictly refers to scalp hair, while "body hair" encompasses all other types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The four essential stages in lab processing of a drug test outcome are Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning covers the initial integration of a sample into a lab's system. This entails verifying the sample's proper sealing and shipment, assigning it a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry missing from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening provides an initial swift assessment for drugs of abuse. Although Screening is a cost-efficient method for excluding drug consumption in most samples, any positive screen must be verified to hold up in court. Samples deemed presumptively positive during Screening necessitate further confirmation.

If Screening indicates a presumptive positive, additional hair is drawn from the initial sample for Extraction. Here, drugs are isolated from hair at a substantially lower concentration than in alternative methodologies (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which contributes to the complexity of hair drug screenings.

Confirmation of positive screening outcomes is performed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptively positive samples undergo necessary washing prior to confirmation. From Accessioning to Confirmation, the entire lab process is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and adherence to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Benefits of hair drug analysis:

• Extended detection range: Hair drug tests can detect drug use for up to 90 days, in contrast to urine tests which have a shorter detection period.
• Challenging to falsify: Hair drug tests are challenging to falsify, enhancing result reliability.
• Supplies longitudinal data: It can depict a pattern of substance use over time, not just recent use.

Constraints:

• Inability to detect recent intake: Drugs become detectable in hair approximately 5-7 days post-use.
• Expense: Hair drug tests generally incur higher costs compared to other testing methods.
• Result variability: Elements like hair color and personal differences in hair growth can impact metabolite concentration in hair.

Note: Frequently termed as "hair follicle tests," the test itself examines the hair strand rather than the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Compared to traditional urine tests, hair follicle tests in Glen Haven, CO, offer higher detection accuracy and reliability. Hair testing covers an extended drug use history, offering a more comprehensive assessment of substance use.

• Urine tests detect short-term use
• Hair tests track long-term substance history

Extended Detection Window

Employers in Glen Haven, CO, benefit from hair follicle testing's extended detection window of up to 90 days. This method allows for a detailed understanding of an individual's substance history,
providing valuable insights into employee or applicant behavior over a significant timeframe, far surpassing other testing techniques.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

The tamper-resistant nature of hair follicle testing in Glen Haven, CO, significantly reduces the risk of adulterated samples. This ensures reliable results that are hard to dispute, offering unmatched confidence in the authenticity and integrity of the test outcomes.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenience is key in Glen Haven, CO, with our nationwide network of testing centers for easy access.

• Quick access to nationwide centers
• Local testing availability ensures hassle-free services

Simple, Confidential Process

Our hair follicle testing process in Glen Haven, CO, is simple and confidential.

• Easy ordering and testing
• Secure, private results

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

In Glen Haven, CO, we offer competitive pricing and fast turnaround times for hair follicle testing. Providing exceptional value for businesses, our services cater to companies of all sizes, ensuring affordability and time-efficient results.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In Glen Haven, CO, hair follicle testing stands out for its quick and precise results. These tests provide high accuracy in detecting substance use, ensuring that results are both fast and reliable.
Such testing guarantees a level of precision that other methods struggle to match, making it a preferred choice for many looking for reliable testing outcomes.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Hair follicle testing in Glen Haven, CO, aligns with workplace drug-free policies, enhancing compliance and reducing legal risks for employers. Offering peace of mind, this method ensures a safer work environment and helps maintain compliance with industry regulations.

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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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