Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Wallstreet, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis is increasingly recognized as an effective instrument for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair captures a long-term timeline of drug and alcohol use by embedding biomarkers within the fibers of the hair that is growing. When hair is taken near the scalp, it can offer an approximate 3-month window for detecting drugs and alcohol. Collecting hair is uncomplicated, somewhat challenging to tamper with, and straightforward to send off.

A sample of 1.5 inches, containing around 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) near the scalp, yields 100mg of hair, which is optimal for screening and verifying. For tests such as EtG or those beyond 10 panels, a specimen of 150mg is advisable. Using a jeweler’s scale for weighing the sample is suggested. If scalp hair cannot be collected, a comparable amount of body hair is an alternative. When discussing head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types like facial, axillary, etc.

Process Overview

The drug testing laboratory process involves four primary phases: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning is the preliminary processing stage of a specimen within a lab’s system. This step verifies the sample's seal and shipping integrity, assigns a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any extra data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody mechanism.

During Screening, an initial examination for drug abuse occurs. While Screening is affordable for eliminating drug use in most samples, a positive result must be verified for court eligibility. Any Screening samples with presumed positives require extra confirmation.

If a sample shows a presumptive positive at the Screening phase, an additional portion of hair is extracted from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. Here, drugs are withdrawn from hair at a lower concentration compared to other methods (like urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug analysis is the most complex method to execute.

Verification of any positive Screening result happens through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples with presumed positive results are cleaned before confirmation if necessary. The method from Accessioning to Confirmation undergoes review according to both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and adherence to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair testing can identify drug use for up to 90 days, whereas urine testing offers a more limited detection period.
• Challenging to manipulate: Altering hair drug test results is highly difficult, ensuring more precise findings.
• Chronicles past usage: It reveals drug use trends over time, rather than just recent consumption.

Limitations:

• Inability to detect recent use: It takes about 5-7 days for drugs to be traceable in hair.
• Expense: Generally, hair drug tests are pricier compared to other testing strategies.
• Result variability: Aspects such as hair color and individual growth rates can influence drug metabolite density in hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests," the examination focuses on the hair strand, not the follicle beneath the scalp.

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing

Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Wallstreet, CO centers around superior detection accuracy and dependability. Hair testing reveals drug use over longer periods, with

• higher reliability
• better accuracy

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window in Wallstreet, CO is achieved through hair follicle testing, offering readings of up to 90 days. This method provides a thorough understanding of a person's substance history, empowering employers with comprehensive insights into an applicant's past behaviors.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Wallstreet, CO offers hair follicle tests that meaningfully lessen the possibility of altering samples. This ensures the outcomes are credible and undisputable, providing businesses and legal entities with

• trustworthy
• dependable

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations and Local Locations in Wallstreet, CO ensure a smooth and easy testing experience. With numerous centers across the country, access to reliable drug testing services is straightforward, allowing for

• swift
• convenient

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process in Wallstreet, CO highlights the ease and privacy of ordering, undergoing, and obtaining results from hair follicle tests. Concerns around privacy and simplicity are addressed, ensuring a discreet,

• secure
• straightforward

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround in Wallstreet, CO asserts tough pricing strategies and quick response times as a mainstay of service. This offers noteworthy value and peace of mind to companies of different sizes, ensuring cost-effective and
prompt testing solutions.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results in Wallstreet, CO are central to hair follicle drug testing, with precision that ensures high accuracy in substance detection. Results are not only swift but also dependable, offering unmatched specificity
and peace of mind for those seeking trustworthy testing solutions.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers in Wallstreet, CO is assured with drug-free workplace policies facilitated by hair follicle testing. This technique mitigates legal issues and improves safety
in the work environment, contributing to a more secure and compliant organization.

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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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