A dried blood spot sample is collected by pricking your fingertip and letting large drops of blood fall onto the printed circles of a collection card, then letting the card dry completely before mailing it. The dried card is stable for several days, which makes it well-suited to at-home collection. This article walks you through each step from setup to mailing.
Important: Register your kit before you collect. The lab cannot process an unregistered sample.
Before you start
Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds and dry them completely.
Set up on a clean, flat surface and lay out every item from your kit: lancet, alcohol pads, gauze, the collection card, desiccant packet, biohazard bag, and prepaid mailer.
Warm the finger you will use — rub your hands together briskly for 30–60 seconds, or hold a warm (not hot) cloth against the fingertip. Good blood flow is what makes the collection work.
Remove the collection card and place it on the surface. Handle the card by its edges only — never touch the printed circles. Fingerprints contaminate the sample and can cause rejection.
Note: If your test requires fasting, complete your fast first. Drinking water during fasting is fine and actually helps blood flow.
Filling the card
Clean the side of your fingertip with an alcohol pad and let it air dry completely. Do not blow on it.
Twist off the lancet cap, press the lancet firmly against the side of your fingertip (not the soft center pad), and press until it clicks.
Wipe away the first drop of blood with the gauze. This first drop can contain tissue fluid that affects results.
Let your hand hang below waist level and gently squeeze from the base of the finger toward the tip to build a large, round drop.
Hold your finger over the first circle and let a large drop fall freely into the center — do not press your finger against the card. Fill each circle with a single full drop so the blood saturates the entire circle from edge to edge.
Do not smear, wipe, layer multiple small drops, or press the finger onto the card.
Repeat for every circle on the card. If you see a lighter plasma ring spreading at the outer edge of the red blood, that is normal.
Important: Use one large drop per circle. Overfilling or layering drops can supersaturate the card and cause the lab to reject the sample.
Drying and packaging
Apply gauze and a bandage to your fingertip.
Lay the card flat on a clean surface to air dry, away from direct heat and direct sunlight. Do not use a hair dryer or any other heat source. Let the card dry completely before packaging — see the article on why drying time matters for blood cards for the drying time your kit requires.
Fully dried spots look dark brown and matte, not wet, shiny, or tacky.
Once completely dry, place the card in its biohazard bag. Add the desiccant packet if your kit includes one, and seal the bag.
Label the bag or tube with your name, date of birth, and collection date, then place it in the prepaid mailer.
Note: Mail the same day or the next day. If you cannot mail immediately, store the sealed, dried card in a cool, dry place and ship as soon as possible. Avoid mailing on a Friday or the day before a holiday so the sample does not sit in transit over a weekend.
Need more help?
If a circle did not fill completely or you accidentally touched the card, contact our support team through chat. There is no cost for a replacement collection kit when a new sample collection is needed for the lab to complete your analysis.