Development And Validation Of Hair Specimen Collection Methods Among Extremely Short-Length Afro-Textured Hair

The study proposed an alternative method for collecting hair samples from individuals with extremely short-length Afro-textured hair by sampling from all sections of the scalp rather than just the posterior-vertex position. This method aimed to provide a sufficient volume of hair for cortisol extraction and analysis. The validation showed no statistical difference in cortisol levels between the homogeneous mixture of hair from all regions and the posterior-vertex region. The findings suggested that this new method could be a feasible alternative to the standard collection method, highlighting the need for diverse hair cortisol research methodologies.