| Device | How it works | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative site monitor | An alternative site monitor allows you to take blood samples from areas likely to be less painful than your finger, such as your arm, abdomen or thigh. | Blood samples from alternative sites are not as accurate as fingertip samples when your blood sugar level is rising or falling quickly. |
| Infrared light monitor | An infrared light monitor uses a beam of light to penetrate the skin and measure your blood sugar level. | Variations in blood pressure, body temperature and other factors can affect the accuracy of blood sugar readings with infrared light monitors. You may need to periodically check your blood sugar level with a traditional monitor to confirm blood sugar readings. |
| Skin testing | A skin testing device, worn like a watch, uses small electrical currents to repeatedly pull tiny amounts of fluid from your skin to a special sensor pad. An alarm can warn you if your blood sugar level becomes too low or too high. | Skin irritation is possible, and the device isn't effective if you're sweating heavily. You may need to periodically check your blood sugar level with a traditional monitor to confirm blood sugar readings. |
| Continuous glucose testing | A continuous glucose testing device uses a sensor placed under your skin to measure your blood sugar level. Each reading is transmitted to a small recording device worn on your body. An alarm can warn you if your blood sugar level becomes too low or too high. | The sensor is expensive — typically costing between $1,000 and $2,000 — and must be moved every few days. You may need to periodically check your blood sugar level with a traditional monitor to confirm blood sugar readings. |




