A hand-held device for piercing a human or animal skin, comprises a housing, a drive device, which is arranged in the housing and is suitable for repeatedly providing a feed motion. The device also comprises a piercing device, which is formed in the housing with a needle and is coupled directly or, via a coupling device, indirectly to the drive device in such a way that the feed motion provided by the drive device can be introduced onto the piercing device. There is a housing opening, relative to which the needle moves forwards and backwards during operation, and a piercing depth adjuster, which is coupled to the piercing device in such a way that the piercing depth adjuster is displaceable relative to the tip of the needle and is entrained with the needle as the needle moves forwards/backwards during operation.
