Nail Drug Test

How can drugs be detected in nails? Any drug that is consumed circulates in the bloodstream. As a nail grows, substances pass from the blood vessels below the nail into the keratin fibres where they become trapped and can thus be detected.

Why choose nail testing? Nail testing is ideal for those cases where hair testing is not possible (such as the donor has no or little hair, for religious reasons, and for those concerned with their appearance). Nail samples are collected using standard nail clippers and are collected by the donor with a specimen collector present. Nail samples must be approximately 2 - 3millimeters in length on all fingers or toes to provide a sample of sufficient weight. We do not mix finger and toenail samples. Doing so cannot provide an accurate use history. Unlike hair drug testing, nail testing will not give a historic segmented pattern of drug use, but it will give an overview of up to 12 months.