Fingernail Drug Testing
This may be one form of drug testing that you are not familiar with as a business owner, but it is becoming one of the more popular methods when conducting a workplace drug test. One major reason that this form of testing has seen a growth in its use is because of the window of detection. Fingernails are similar to hair in the fact that both are keratinized proteins. Essentially, a keratinized protein is the material that makes up our hair and skin. When a person is abusing drugs, the drug will then be distributed to the nail cells and nail beds through their bloodstream. The porous substance, much like a hair follicle, traps substances such as drugs during growth.
As we have described the way a fingernail drug test works, you may be wondering why you would choose this form of testing over a hair sample. Well, we are not necessarily saying that this form of drug testing is a better route to go over taking a hair sample, but there are some added benefits that you should consider when picking out which type of drug test to use in the workplace.
One benefit of choosing to use a fingernail sample is that they are thicker than a hair strand. This ultimately means that the sample will contain more traces of drugs compared to that of a hair sample. By there being more traces within the sample that allows for a less likely chance of a person who is using drugs to slip through the cracks. Another added benefit of choosing a fingernail sample is the window of detection. Because fingernail growth can be a long process and they are thicker layers of skin, this type of sample can detect drug use anywhere back from 6 to 8 months. This type of test is great to determine if any long-term abuse is present in a given person.
A fingernail sample can detect any of the standard 5-panel drug tests, and it can also determine if a person has consumed alcohol if your workplace also doesn’t allow that to be used in its employees. A fingernail test is a great option especially if you have someone who has a shaved head or no hair that can be used as a sample. This form of testing is non-invasive to your employees and tamper-resistant like a urine test can be if not properly administered.
Fingernail samples have existed for decades when it comes to drug testing, but it has been recently where we have seen an explosion in their use. This form of testing provides many added benefits compared to other methods of drug testing. If you are trying to decide which test would best fit your workplace, you can contact us and we can help you decide which form of testing would give you the most accurate results in your given timeframe.
