Tenderfoot Heelstick Lancets

Collecting a blood sample from a newborn demands precision. Too shallow and the sample is inadequate; too deep and you risk bruising, calcaneal injury, or scarring on a tiny heel. The Tenderfoot line from Werfen was engineered specifically to solve this, delivering a controlled, permanently retracting incision at a fixed depth and width every time. Nurseries, NICUs, and pediatric labs rely on it for neonatal screening, bilirubin checks, glucose monitoring, and other capillary draws.

The device works differently from a standard puncture lancet. Instead of a simple stab, Tenderfoot makes a precise incision that opens capillary beds close to the skin surface, promoting steady blood flow with less squeezing and fewer repeat sticks. After activation the blade retracts and locks, so there is no exposed sharp — an important safeguard for both the infant and the clinician handling it.

Choosing the correct model comes down to the baby's weight and gestational age. The Tenderfoot Preemie Lancing Device (000TFP50I) uses a shallower incision suited to premature and low-birth-weight infants, where heel bone proximity is a real concern. The full-term Werfen Tenderfoot Safety Lancets (000TF50I), color-coded in blue and pink, are sterile, single-use, and disposable — matching depth to a healthy newborn's heel. Matching the right device to the patient is the single most effective way to get a first-stick success and minimize discomfort.

Every Tenderfoot lancet is individually sterile-packaged and intended for one-time use, supporting infection-control protocols in any facility. For labs running point-of-care coagulation testing, we also stock the Werfen Hemochron DirectCheck Control for citrate PT cuvettes, part of the same Werfen diagnostic family.

Order by NDC or product code above, or reach out if you need help confirming the right incision depth for your patient population before you buy.