As a leading provider of drug and alcohol testing the DNA Legal forensic labs have been testing nail samples for over 20 years.
With a primary use in criminal matters - and costing thousands of pounds - DNA Legal have recognised the need for alternative sample types and can now bring this expertise to the Family Courts at prices approved by the Legal Aid Agency.
Like hair, fingernails are made of keratin. They provide stable samples that are simple to both collect and transport. Offering a longer window of detection, a fingernail test provides a 3-6 month history of drug and/or alcohol abuse.
The Differences Between Hair And Fingernail Drug Testing
If the donor has limited head and body hair then nail testing may be the answer. As with body hair it is not possible to provide a month-by-month breakdown from fingernail testing but you are provided with a clear overview.
As the fingernail grows, substances (drugs and their metabolites) pass from the blood vessels located directly below the nail into the keratin fibers where they are trapped.
Fingernails are four times thicker than the typical strand of hair, which means you can often capture more of a substance than within hair.
Drug Induced Nail Disease
The metabolites are locked into the keratin fibers along the entire length of the nail providing a detection period of between 3-6 months after drug or alcohol abuse.
To ensure a simple and effective testing process fingernails are tested in panels ranging from 9 - 17 drugs. Within the panels the following drugs are tested:
The detection of alcohol abuse using fingernails provides a reliable alternative to head or body hair. The EtG (Ethyl Glucuronide) alcohol markers are trapped in the fingernail as it grows.
Nail Drug Testing
As is recommended with hair alcohol testing, it is advised to combine fingernail testing with blood testing. DNA Legal provide both traditional (CDT, LFT & FBC) and more advanced (PEth) blood tests.
As is recommended with hair alcohol testing, it is advised to combine fingernail testing with blood testing. DNA Legal provide both traditional (CDT, LFT & FBC) and more advanced (PEth) blood tests.
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