The incision on a fingerstick should be made ______ to the fingerprints in the distal phalanx.

The incision on a fingerstick should be made ______ to the fingerprints in the distal phalanx.

• A. Tangential
• B. Perpendicular
• C. Diagonal
• D. Parallel

Answer: (B)

Puncturing across the natural skin lines on the fingertip yields the cleanest, most reliable puncture. The fingerprint ridges run in a specific direction, and making the incision perpendicular to those ridges cuts through the skin in a way that opens into the tiny capillaries, producing a steady blood drop with minimal tissue tearing. If you cut along or across but not across properly (tangential, parallel, or a diagonal that does not cross the ridges cleanly), the wound can tear along the ridges or create a less controlled opening, leading to slower or inconsistent bleeding. So a perpendicular incision aligns with the goal of a quick, adequate capillary blood sample.

Puncturing across the natural skin lines on the fingertip yields the cleanest, most reliable puncture. The fingerprint ridges run in a specific direction, and making the incision perpendicular to those ridges cuts through the skin in a way that opens into the tiny capillaries, producing a steady blood drop with minimal tissue tearing. If you cut along or across but not across properly (tangential, parallel, or a diagonal that does not cross the ridges cleanly), the wound can tear along the ridges or create a less controlled opening, leading to slower or inconsistent bleeding. So a perpendicular incision aligns with the goal of a quick, adequate capillary blood sample.