Genteel was
kind enough to send me one of their lancers to review. This was especially
exciting for me because I have been curious about the Genteel for a while now
and have hemmed and hawed many times over buying it. My friend Mary who uses it
raved about it and urged me to try it. So what is this Genteel I’m talking
about?
The Genteel
is a lancing device that was created with the intention to draw a perfect drop
of blood with no pain. It has these cool contact tips that draw blood from
shallow lance site so the lancet doesn’t reach the pain nerves. It has a vacuum
tube that actually helps draw out the blood. It can also be used to test pretty
much anywhere on your body… How cool is that? It comes in a variety of colors,
and I chose pink to match my meter case.
When my
Genteel arrived, I was eager to try it and set it up right away. The process of
setting it up was incredibly easy and in a few minutes I was ready to try it
out. I also have to note that it comes with adorable stickers to decorate it
with. The first time I used it, I was shocked. It was actually pain free. I
didn’t even feel it, and it drew the perfect amount of blood for my test
strips. I had previously watched multiple videos of kids saying it didn’t hurt
at all. I even watched videos of parents testing their children’s blood sugar
while they were sleeping, and they didn’t budge. But for some reason, it was so
hard for me to believe that it could actually be pain free. I mean, the lancet
is still going into your skin! But I tell you, those kids were not lying in
their videos! It really is virtually painless, like some sort of magic. 
The second
day using it, I began to have a problem with it which I learned was a common
issue, but easily fixed. I wasn’t getting enough blood for my test strips. I do
have to note that my test strips do tend to require more blood than your
average test strip. I e-mailed Genteel and asked for advice. They told me to
switch to the next contact tip, which is yellow. The lancet penetrates slightly
deeper. I was told that choosing your contact tip is finding a balance between
comfort and drawing the right amount of blood. I was also told that if I found
the yellow contact tip too painful, I should switch back to the blue and try
either warming up the area first by rubbing it with my other hand for a couple
of seconds, or I could try doing a slight pumping motion while the vacuum was
activated. Those tips worked perfectly for me! Especially doing the pumping
motion. I have finally settled on the yellow contact tip, which I don’t find
painful. I also have to note that the customer care at Genteel was very impressive.
One of the
biggest appeals of the Genteel to me was the idea of giving my fingers a break.
My poor finger. I had the tendency to test on one single finger all the time,
and it was in pretty bad shape. The idea of being able to test in other places
was such a cool concept to me. I have been using my palm, and my finger has
gotten a well-deserved break and is beginning to heal!
When I was
hemming and hawing over whether or not to get the Genteel, part of it was
because you have to hold it in place for 4-8 seconds, and I thought that time
was too long for me. I’m a generally impatient person, and I didn’t like that
idea, even though I thought it was great for kids. But a good point was brought
up to me. When I test with my usual lancer, I poke again and again and it
definitely takes 4-8 seconds or LONGER to squeeze the blood out. So really, it
takes the same amount of time! I realize now it was a silly worry of mine,
because I don’t find I have to use any patience while using my Genteel.
All in all,
I’m very happy with my Genteel and I think it’ll be a long time before I use a
regular lancer again. I highly recommend it to anyone who has trouble with the
pain of testing or with worn out fingertips.
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