Does anyone have a personal recommendation for a lotion to help with beat up fingertips from blood testing? I change the lancet, rotate testing, but after 42 years of T1D there’s only so much you can do. 
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Many hand quilters (who are constantly stabbing themselves) swear by Bag Balm. It’s available at drug stores & beauty supply stores. It comes in a cute green tin.
but my #1 recommendation is to get a Fastclix lancing device (also at drug stores). I check my blood around 10 times a day, always on the same 6 fingers, and I don’t even have a mark (well maybe if you got our a strong magnifying glass). (T1 49 years here)
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Aside from its myriad other good qualities, Fastclix is wonderfully quick and easy to use.
I’ve been using a FastClick for about a year.
maybe change the depth? so sorry to hear that!
I use Kiehl’s hand salve. It’s kinda pricey but you only need to use a little.
You can also test using alternate sites (palm, forearm) for measurements when you haven’t eaten in a few hours. Apparently those sites are lagged 20-30 minutes compared to the fingertips but if your BG is not changing much then it should be fine and give your fingertips a little break a couple times a day.
I like the Fastclix because it is much easier to use on non-dominant hand–10 digits for the price of 5!–and depth of puncture can be changed easily.
Have you thought about a CGM. Would drastically lower number of finger sticks.
yes, I use a CGM however I don’t make any food or insulin actions without a blood glucose test.
Thanks everyone – I have tried alternative spots like ear and forearm (with the associated lancing setting) and they don’t work for me.
If I set the lancing device at the next depth, it tends to cause bruising and a ton of pain.
Someone sugsted vitamin E oil so I’ll try that (I know it’s not a quick fix, nothign is)
All set now! Thanks!
You might try the genteel lancet? It is about $100 though.
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Thanks for mentioning the genteel @Kenrick - we had the inventor on for an interview about it
I think there’s some deals out there or coupons.
As much as I get annoyed with “diabetic” products, I’ve actually heard a few thumbs ups for the Gold Bond lotion for diabetics. Another thing, and most of us are quite lax on this, is to change out your lancet more often. They really do get dull after a few thwacks, so maybe changing it once a week instead of once a month should make a big difference to minimize internal trauma. And of course prick the sides of the fingers rather than the tips. At fasting times you can also try your forearm, but don’t do it at times when your BG might be fluctuating, as it will not be very accurate.