Lancing Devices
Lancets are small devises that are used to pierce the skin and allow the user to express a small sample of blood that is then placed on a test strip or into a meter depending on the type of meter one is using. Lancets are very thin, sharp and sterile pieces of wires that are incased in either a self loaded spring devise that automatically pierces the skin when the user engages it, other types are incased in a plastic housing that provides some means of opening and exposing the tip for use. The size of the wire inside the devise varies depending on the designation provided by the manufactures. The measurement that is used is referred to as the “gauge”. The larger the number the “smaller” the size. So a 28 gauge lancet is larger that a 30 gauge lancet.
It is important to remember that lancets are provided from the manufacture in a sterile manner. This means that there are no germs on the devise that could potential make you sick if the germs got into you body through the act of piercing the skin. Some people say that it is ok for you to use a lancet device more than once. The user of these devises should realize that they are normally referred to as single use devises and reuse is not recommended by the vast majority of the manufactures. Once the seal of the lancet is broken and used once you have no way of knowing if the tip of the lancet has been exposed to germs that could be very harmful to you if it is stored for another use. These items are very inexpensive and reuse should be kept to a minimum. You should not use a lancet that does not snap open or provide some indication to the user that the devise has never been opened before.
