Lancing Device

Many diabetes monitors look alike, but in reality, there are many different types.  Modern blood glucose monitors are faster and more compact, and they do not require as much blood for each sample as the older models do.  However, even the small sample of blood required for a test can make fingertips sore after repeated tests over a long period of time.

There are many advances in monitors that can help avoid or minimize sore fingers. 

• Some monitors use only very small sample and can therefore be used for alternate site testing.  Testing the palm or forearm, for example, gives the fingers a much-needed break.

• A continuous glucose monitor can greatly decrease the hassle of daily testing.  A sensor is placed under the skin and worn for several days.  This type of monitor provides continuous information about glucose levels with a minimum of lancing.  

Look into these other types of systems before ordering your diabetes home test. Maybe you'll find a less-conventional system that is right for you!

I came across a great evergreen (still relevant) article in Diabetes Health Magazine with tips for choosing the right lancing device.

The article suggests one important criteria to consider is safety. The need to load and remove lancets for each individual use creates issues of safety, particularly for children.

The safest products allow safe ejection of the used lancet without handling. However, even some devices with an ejection mechanism do not work when used with hollow-back lancets. This problem will eventually be resolved with the advent of self-contained lancets in one disposable cartridge or disk.

THE FUTURE IS NOW: Since this article was originally published, technology caught up. The Accu-Chek Multiclix lancing device offered by the Diabetes Care Club is a world first in diabetes care. Safety and convenience are combined, since no handling of lancets is necessary.

Six lancets are preloaded in a drum making it easy to change.
The drum can simply be discarded in the household waste.

With no risk of accidental pricking and easy lancet change, the Accu-Chek Multiclix makes regular testing fast, safe and less painful.



This blog is associated with Simplex MD (simplexmd.com) and the Diabetes Care Club (diabetescareclub.com), sponsored by Simplex Healthcare.

Please note: Information provided is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any health care questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to health care issues.

I came across a great evergreen article in Diabetes Health Magazine with tips for choosing the right lancing device.

One of the best pieces of advice is to review lancing devices independently of meters in order to select the one best suited to your specific needs. The article also suggests that important criteria to consider are pain, safety and convenience. Here's what it says about the pain factor:

"Many people with diabetes acknowledge that callused fingers and frequent doses of sharp pain have become a normal part of everyday life. In addition to pain at the moment of lancing, people with diabetes also experience lingering pain and slow healing of the punctured sites.

"To help minimize pain, tissue damage and discomfort, choose a device that offers a smooth, well-controlled stick. Spring-driven devices with cam guidance tend to offer smoother control than those with linear guidance.

"Lancing to the right depth is another key consideration. A lancet should pierce the skin only to the depth necessary to get an adequate amount of blood. Lancing too deep causes increased pain, while not lancing deep enough requires re-lancing. For now, the best option is a device that features multiple depth settings. While these devices offer improvements over those lacking this feature, they often prove unreliable in reaching the intended depth. To compensate, the user dials the depth setting deeper than necessary to prevent having to re-lance."

UPDATE: Since this article initially appeared, the Accu-Chek Multiclix has been introduced and is a world first in diabetic medical supplies. Its comfort dial has 11 penetration depth settings, which lets you adjust to match skin type. This reduces pain by avoiding contact with deeper nerves. Once set, it stays in place.

As technologies continue to improve, next-generation devices will offer enhanced sophistication to ensure near 100 percent reliability in depth accuracy.



This blog is associated with Simplex MD (simplexmd.com) and the Diabetes Care Club (diabetescareclub.com), sponsored by Simplex Healthcare.

Please note: Information provided is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any health care questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to health care issues.

I came across a great older, but evergreen, article in Diabetes Health Magazine with tips for choosing the right lancing device.

"A common practice in selecting a lancing system is to rely on the device that comes with a particular blood glucose meter. This is like using an inferior razor simply because it came with your favorite shaving cream." (Do you love this analogy ... and it's so right.)

"Instead, review lancing devices independently of meters to select the one best suited to your specific needs." And in doing so, consider this important criteria: safety.

"People with diabetes are often advised to check their blood glucose several times per day,” says Jeff Hitchcock, president of the organization Children With Diabetes.

"Based on our most recent poll data, kids with diabetes are testing on average more than six times per day,” says Hitchcock. “Therefore, it is important that lancing systems be as simple and easy to use as possible.”

"To this end, the devices should require the fewest possible number of steps for lancing in order to provide the best user experience. For example, the priming and firing of the lancing device should be simple. Some devices require two-handed operation to pull back the cocking mechanism, while others simplify the process to one-handed operation with the press of a button—just like a ballpoint pen.

"The next generation of devices will offer the added convenience of multiple self-contained lancets in a cartridge, thus eliminating the need for loading and unloading a new or used lancet. "

UPDATE: The future is now. The next generation Accu-Chek Multiclix lancing device (which you may get from the Diabetes Care Club if you order your diabetic supplies online) is a world first in diabetes self management. Safety and convenience are combined, since no handling of lancets is necessary.

Here's how the Multiclix works:

Six lancets are preloaded in a drum making it easy to change.
The drum can simply be discarded in the household waste.
This unique lancing device also minimizes tissue tearing and pain, allowing you to test as frequently as your healthcare team recommends.

An electronic lancing device has been available since 2008, but it is not in wide distribution.


This blog is associated with Simplex MD (simplexmd.com) and the Diabetes Care Club (diabetescareclub.com), sponsored by Simplex Healthcare.

Please note: Information provided is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any health care questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to health care issues.

Taking delivery on your diabetes products is as easy as pie.


Stay at home, leave the car in the garage, eliminate those annoying lines at the pharmacy -- and ditch the paperwork. All you need to do is open your door every few months to receive your FREE home delivery of the exact diabetes self-management supplies you need - from meters and batteries to control solution, test strips, lancets and lancing devices. You'll know your mail carrier better than your pharmacist!

(Photo courtesy USPS.)

This blog is associated with Simplex MD (simplexmd.com) and the Diabetes Care Club (http://www.diabetescareclub.com/), sponsored by Simplex Healthcare.