A lancet device including a housing and a lancet structure having a puncturing tip maintained within an interior cavity of the housing. The device incorporates a bow spring which cooperates with the lancet structure within the housing, and a trigger which extends laterally through and into the housing. The bow spring is resistive to movement, and therefore maintains the puncturing tip in a retracted position within the housing. Lateral movement of the trigger into the housing, such as through a pivoting trigger operation, biases the bow spring against this resistive to deflect the bow spring and extend the puncturing tip through the forward end of the housing to achieve a puncturing position.