What finger is best to use for blood spot testing?
It is best to choose to test on a finger of your non-dominant hand i.e. if you are right-handed, choose a finger on your left hand. Choose a finger without a callous or scar, as this will allow the lancing device to fully penetrate the skin layer so a good blood drop can form. We suggest you use the side of the finger as there are fewer nerve endings there. After pressing the lancing device against your finger – you will feel the prick – let your arm hang down to encourage the blood to flow down towards your fingers. Once a hanging drop has developed, you can place your finger above the circular collection disc and allow the drop to fall onto the disc. Sometimes it is easier to ‘encourage’ the drop to fall by gently milking your finger over the disc. Try not to touch the disc with your finger. For young children or the elderly, it may be easier to use another body part for the blood collection. Fingers may be too small or calloused and/or doing a blood collection from a very visible bo
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