Most come with short and long lancet covers to provide different degrees of penetration. Generally, people who are first-time users, children, or people with delicate skin prefer a longer cover for more shallow penetration of the lancet. People who have tougher skin or poor circulation choose a shorter cover for deeper penetration by the lancet. An individual may need to use different lancet covers for different fingers or when finger temperature affects blood flow. Ease of resetting the lancet for the next use varies.
Some products require the cover to be removed so that the lancet can be pushed back into position.
Others have a simple push-pull mechanism that resets the spring. The latter may be preferable for children or people with coordination problems. Automatic lancing devices are inexpensive and last a long time, so owning more than one should be affordable. Remember that you should never share your automatic lancing device because of the small but real risk of transmitting disease by contaminated blood. Discuss these considerations and others, such as lancet reuse and sterilization, with your health care provider.