Skin Preparation
| Author: Judy Kohn, RN, BSN, CDE |
| Last Updated: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 |
Q: "My father is diabetic. Can you please explain why he needs to thoroughly wash his hands before doing his blood glucose test? Do you have any examples of the way in which different substances on the fingers can influence the blood glucose readings? Should he use an alcohol swab to clean his testing site?"
A: Many people have been under the impression that they should wash their hands prior to testing to prevent infection. Although it is always wise to practice good hygiene, it is extremely rare and unlikely to develop an infection at the lancing site. In addition, just as you asked, there is the possibility of getting a false reading if there is something on the fingers (or on alternative sites). Here are points to keep in mind:
- Alcohol left on the skin (if it didn't dry) could dilute the sample and give a falsely low reading. In addition, alcohol has been reported to cause dry skin. The cooling or vasoconstrictive effect of alcohol may lead to less blood produced from the test site.
- Also, water left on the skin can dilute the sample and give a falsely low reading.
- Any sugar on the skin may cause a falsely high glucose reading. In fact, there are many situations involving people who neglected to wash the site after eating something sweet, such as a cookie, and their glucose results were falsely elevated by over 100 mg/dl.
- Note that we do not recommend cleaning the test site with alcohol because our studies suggest that alcohol wipes may not adequately clean the test site in some instances, for example, if the test site is contaminated with carbohydrate foods or certain body lotions.
There is no official list of chemicals, lotions, etc. that could affect the glucose results, especially since good hygiene practices would include using a clean site regardless.
Conclusion: We recommend cleaning the test site with soap and warm water, which is effective for removing sugary substances and other contaminants. The warm water also enhances blood flow, making it easier to get a blood drop.
Important Notice: The responses provided by the team of Diabetes Educators are based on their personal experiences and expertise as practicing diabetes healthcare professionals, and are not to be considered diabetes management advice from Abbott Laboratories. Remember that information provided by the team of Diabetes Educators is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any healthcare questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to healthcare issues.
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