Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Mccoy, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has become recognized as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol use. Hair strands offer a prolonged history of alcohol and other substances by embedding biomarkers in the fibers of the growing hair strand. When collected near the scalp, hair can offer up to roughly a 3-month detection timeline for alcohol and other drugs. Hair is easy to collect, relatively hard to tamper with, and simple to ship.

A 1.5-inch sample consisting of around 200 hair strands (equivalent to a #2 pencil in size) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal sample for both screening and confirmation. When testing for EtG, extra tests, or panels exceeding 10, 150mg of the specimen is suggested. We advise using a jeweler's scale for weighing the specimen. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be used. When mentioning head hair, we mean scalp hair exclusively. Body hair covers all other types of hair (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The primary steps in processing a drug test result in the lab include Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial incorporation of a sample into the lab’s system. This involves confirming the sample was sealed and shipped correctly, allocating a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any extra data entry not covered by an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening involves a preliminary quick analysis for drugs of abuse. Although Screening offers a cost-effective way to dismiss drug usage in most samples, a positive screen must be verified to be acceptable in court. Any samples that test presumptively positive during Screening require a secondary confirmation.

If a sample tests presumptively positive during Screening, more hair is extracted from the initial specimen and readied for Extraction. During this stage, drugs are extracted from hair at a much lower concentration compared to other methods (e.g., urine or oral fluid), making hair drug screening the most challenging method to perform.

Confirmation of any positive screening result is conducted using GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All presumptive positive samples are cleaned before confirmation as necessary. The entire laboratory process from Accessioning to Confirmation is reviewed under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and the accreditation to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can recognize drug use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a more limited detection period.
• Hard to manipulate: It is extremely difficult to tamper with a hair drug test, enhancing the accuracy of the results.
• Captures historical use: It can depict a pattern of drug usage over time, not just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Cannot detect recent consumption: Drugs become detectable in hair after approximately 5-7 days.
• Expense: Hair drug tests typically incur higher costs than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Variables like hair color and individual hair growth differences can influence the concentration of drug metabolites in the hair.

Note: Although often labeled as "hair follicle tests", the test itself examines the hair strand, not the hair follicle under the scalp

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why choose hair follicle testing over urine tests in McCoy, CO? The benefits are clear: superior detection accuracy, a longer detection window, and enhanced sample integrity. Hair tests offer up to 90 days of detection, in contrast to the shorter window of traditional urine tests. This extended period provides a broader view of an individual's substance use history, ensuring reliability and accuracy.

Extended Detection Window

The beauty of hair follicle testing in McCoy, CO, lies in its extended detection window, stretching up to 90 days. This gives hiring managers and employers a far-reaching overview of an individual's substance use history, going beyond the limitations of conventional methods. By capturing a broader timeline, such tests offer crucial insights into an applicant's or employee's past drug activity.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Hair follicle testing in McCoy, CO, dramatically reduces the threat of sample tampering, thus assuring reliable and indisputable results. The nature of the collection process, which involves cutting a small sample of hair, is inherently resistant to manipulation. This robustness in testing methods provides unmatched trustworthiness, making them a top choice for concerned organizations.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

With testing locations across the nation, including McCoy, CO, hair follicle testing services are readily accessible and convenient. Our nationwide presence means testing is hassle-free and quickly available, providing efficient service for businesses and individuals alike. The easy accessibility ensures immediate and stress-free compliance with testing requirements.

Simple, Confidential Process

The process for hair follicle testing in McCoy, CO, is both straightforward and confidential. From placing an order to undergoing the test and receiving results, every step respects privacy while ensuring efficiency. This clarity and simplicity address concerns, making it a preferred choice for those seeking a reliable and discreet drug testing solution.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Offering competitive pricing and swift turnaround times, hair follicle testing in McCoy, CO, delivers outstanding value. Businesses of any size benefit from our affordable pricing structures, ensuring quick and budget-friendly access to necessary testing. This combination of cost-effectiveness and rapid results provides confidence and assurance in the testing process.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

In McCoy, CO, hair follicle drug tests are known for their quick and accurate results. These tests not only deliver speedy outcomes but also maintain high precision in detecting substance use. The rigorous standards followed in processing ensure reliability and accuracy, making them a preferred choice for many businesses and organizations seeking dependable results.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

In McCoy, CO, hair follicle testing ensures workplace compliance with drug-free policies, delivering peace of mind to employers. By integrating this testing method, companies can minimize legal risks and bolster workplace safety. The reliability of results from hair tests helps employers uphold their ethical and safety standards consistently and confidently.

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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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