When someone needs information about drug use over a longer period of time, a standard urine drug test may not always fit the purpose of the test. Nail drug testing provides another option for longer-term drug screening.
Bluestar Diagnostics provides professional nail drug testing in Dallas and Plano for individuals, employers and other testing needs.
What Is a Nail Drug Test?
Nail drug testing uses a fingernail or toenail specimen that is sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Because nail material grows over time, it can provide a longer look-back period than many short-window testing methods. Bluestar currently offers nail testing options with an approximately six-month detection window, depending on the test and specimen.
When Is Nail Drug Testing Useful?
A longer detection window may be useful when the purpose of testing is to evaluate patterns of drug exposure over time rather than very recent use.
Potential applications can include employment-related testing, legal or monitoring situations, treatment or recovery monitoring, and personal testing.
The appropriate specimen type depends on what you are trying to determine, so it is important to choose the test based on the actual testing objective rather than simply selecting the largest panel available.
Nail Testing vs. Urine Drug Testing
Urine testing is widely used for workplace and DOT/non-DOT programs and is particularly useful for detecting relatively recent drug use.
Nail testing serves a different purpose. Its longer detection window can make it useful when historical exposure is more relevant.
Neither test is automatically “better.” They answer different questions.
What Can a Nail Drug Test Detect?
Bluestar offers multiple nail drug-testing panels. The substances included depend upon the panel selected.
For example, Bluestar's current 9-panel nail drug test provides a long detection window, while broader 15- and 16-panel options are available when more extensive screening is required.
Where Can I Get a Nail Drug Test in Dallas or Plano?
Bluestar Diagnostics provides confidential specimen collection through our Dallas and Plano locations.
If you're unsure whether nail, urine, hair or another testing method is appropriate, contact our team before scheduling. We can help you identify the testing option that best fits your requirement.
Schedule Nail Drug Testing
Need a drug test with a longer detection window?
Contact Bluestar Diagnostics or schedule your test at our Dallas or Plano location.