How can I choose a blood glucose meter that minimizes pain?

Most of the current glucose meters use very little blood, and it makes sense to choose one that requires only a very small amount so that the needle stick doesn't have to be painful. Note that meters that require only small amounts of blood often allow you to collect the sample from spots other than your fingertips; this is often called alternative-site testing and may be helpful if your fingertips are getting sore from frequent testing. The forearm is often recommended, but it's frequently more difficult to get blood from this area because there is not as much blood flowing near the surface of the skin as there is in the fingertips, and many people have a lot of hair, which prevents the drop from staying in place until it's drawn up into the strip. A lancet device that applies a small amount of suction after the needle stick (for example, the Vaculance) sometimes makes testing on the forearm easier.