Hair Follicle Drug Testing - Wellington, CO

What it is, How it works

Hair analysis has emerged as an effective method for identifying drug and alcohol consumption. Hair serves as an enduring record of alcohol and other substances by capturing biomarkers in the growing hair fiber. When taken near the scalp, it can reveal up to a roughly 3-month timeframe for alcohol and other substances. Hair is easy to collect, somewhat tough to tamper with, and simple to transport.

A 1.5-inch snippet of around 200 hair strands (approximately the thickness of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the perfect sample size for screening and confirmation. For EtG, add-ons, and/or tests exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is suggested. It's advisable to weigh the sample on a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair is unavailable, an equivalent amount of body hair can be gathered. When mentioning head hair, we specifically mean scalp hair. Body hair encompasses all other hair types (facial, axillary, etc.).

Process Overview

The laboratory processing of a drug test result is comprised of four principal steps: Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.

Accessioning involves the initial integration of a sample into a lab’s system. This step ensures the sample was sealed and dispatched correctly, allocates a random LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completes any additional data entry absent from an electronic chain of custody system.

Screening performs an introductory assessment for substances of abuse. Screening is a cost-effective method to dismiss drug presence in most samples, yet a positive screen necessitates confirmation to be valid in a legal setting. Any samples indicating a positive in Screening require subsequent confirmation.

If a sample is positive during the Screening phase, extra hair is obtained from the initial sample and readied for Extraction. During this stage, substances are isolated from hair at significantly lower concentrations than in other techniques (e.g., urine or oral fluid), which is why hair drug screening is the most challenging technique to conduct.

Confirmation of any positive Screening outcome is executed via GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples suggesting positives undergo washing prior to confirmation if necessary. The whole laboratory procedure from Accessioning to Confirmation is scrutinized under both the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair designation and conformity to ISO / IEC 17025 standards.

Advantages of hair drug testing:

• Extended detection period: Hair drug tests can identify substance use for up to 90 days, unlike urine tests that have a shorter detection period.
• Hard to falsify: It is notably difficult to fake a hair drug test, ensuring more reliable results.
• Offers historical insight: It can reveal a pattern of drug use over an extended duration, not just recent use.

Limitations:

• Incapable of detecting recent use: Drugs require roughly 5-7 days to be detectable in hair.
• Expense: Hair drug tests are typically pricier than other drug testing methods.
• Result variability: Factors like hair color and individual hair growth differences can impact drug metabolite concentration in the hair.

Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", the analysis is conducted 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 Wellington, CO, hair follicle tests exceed traditional urine tests. Their ability to provide accurate detection over a prolonged period stands out significantly. Hair tests are more reliable as they capture a longer history, beating urine tests in terms of detection period and reliability. This difference allows for thorough evaluations, supporting informed decision-making.

Extended Detection Window

Extended Detection Window
Hair follicle testing in Wellington, CO, gives a comprehensive look into substance use history. With the potential to detect drug use up to 90 days past, employers gain insight into long-term usage patterns. This long detection window provides a detailed history rather than just recent usage, making it indispensable for various assessments.

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method

Tamper-Resistant Testing Method
Hair follicle tests in Wellington, CO, offer a reliable method against sample tampering. Unlike other tests, these reduce the risk of adulteration, ensuring authentic, credible results. With hair testing, the chances of sample manipulation are minimized, providing an unchallengeable resource in substance detection.

Convenient Nationwide Locations

Convenient Nationwide Testing Locations
Accredited Drug Testing locations in Wellington, CO, and nationwide offer seamless access to drug screening services. This convenience ensures that individuals and companies can easily find testing centers, making the process simple and fast, contributing to hassle-free testing experiences.

Simple, Confidential Process

Simple, Confidential Process
Drug testing in Wellington, CO, is straightforward and maintains confidentiality. The entire process, from ordering a test to obtaining results, is designed to be private and user-friendly. This simplicity addresses any concerns regarding ease and privacy, ensuring comfortable participation in the testing process.

Affordable, Fast Turnaround

Affordable Pricing and Fast Turnaround
In Wellington, CO, hair follicle testing offers competitive pricing and quick result turnaround. Regardless of company size, affordable pricing provides exceptional value, with minimal wait times for results. This balance of cost-effectiveness and speed ensures peace of mind for businesses looking for reliable drug testing services.

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results

Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Results
The effectiveness of hair follicle drug testing in Wellington, CO, is undisputed. This method delivers swift results, maintaining high precision levels when identifying substance use. Compared to other methods, hair tests offer unparalleled accuracy and dependability, ensuring that employers and individuals receive valid information promptly.

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers

Compliance and Peace of Mind for Employers
Employers in Wellington, CO, benefit from hair follicle tests by maintaining compliance with drug-free policies. These tests support workplace safety, reducing legal liabilities and unauthorized drug use risks. Employers can be assured of creating a secure environment by relying on thorough, compliant drug testing methods.

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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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