Using Lingo: Practical tips for lasting wear of your Lingo biosensor

When you’re using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) like Lingo to track your glucose, it’s super useful to look at data from a significant period of time. Each Lingo is designed to be worn for 14 days, and the adhesive should help keep the biosensor in place for this duration. 

Unfortunately, situations can arise that prevent your Lingo from staying in place for the full 14 days. While this isn’t the end of the world – if your Lingo biosensor falls off or stops working before you’ve used it for 14 days, we’ll replace it for free – it can be frustrating. Less wear time means less info about your glucose, and we understand it can be bothersome to replace the biosensor more frequently than anticipated. So, what can you do to stop this from happening?

In this article, we’ll take a look at some things you can do to increase the likelihood that your Lingo biosensor will stay on for 14 days. We’ll also answer some common questions people have about wearing their CGM and what activities they can do, allowing them to get the most out of Lingo.  

Tips for when applying your Lingo biosensor 

How you apply your Lingo biosensor has a big impact on how long it can stay on. 

You should apply the Lingo biosensor to the back of your upper arm, selecting an area of skin that stays flat when you move. Try to avoid any moles, scars, lumps, or stretch marks.  

Here’s how to prep the area before applying your Lingo: 

• Wash: Use non-moisturizing, fragrance-free soap to wash the application area. 
• Clean: Remove any oily residue with an alcohol wipe. 
• Dry: Let your skin fully dry in the air – especially if you’re applying a CGM after a shower or swim. 

The attachment will be more secure if you make sure nothing gets between the biosensor and your skin when you apply it. Look out for the following when attaching your Lingo: 

• Moisture 
• Hair (you may want to shave the area if you have body hair there) 
• Residue from soap, shampoo, conditioner, or skincare products  

If you follow these steps, your CGM will be more likely to remain on for the duration of its working time. 

Swimming and showering with Lingo 

It’s okay to expose biosensors to water. They’re water-resistant, so they’re designed to withstand bathing, showering, and swimming. 

Your CGM will work in water up to depths of three feet (around one meter) for up to 30 minutes at a time.  

Lingo tip: After a shower or swim, take care when drying off with a towel. Gently pat dry the area around the biosensor, rather than roughly toweling off, as this will make you less likely to catch it or pull it off. 

Working out and sweating with Lingo 

Seeing how physical exercise affects your glucose is one of the many insightful things you can learn with a CGM. While CGMs can still be worn during intense exercise, there are some instances that may cause your Lingo biosensor to loosen due to sweat or movement.  

Biosensor placement and area preparation are key here. The backs of your upper arms (where the skin doesn’t bend or fold) are less sweaty than other parts of the body and should ideally be less resistant to the movements of a workout. There also tends to be less hair there, which can improve adhesion. 

Lingo tip: Applying an adhesive patch right after you apply the biosensor can provide some extra security and protection, making it more likely to withstand a vigorous workout.  

Sleeping on your Lingo 

It’s okay if you sleep in a position that puts pressure on your CGM. This is unlikely to result in it falling off if you’ve followed the application guidelines. 

The one thing to be aware of, however, is that readings can be affected by the extra pressure to the biosensor by sleeping on it. This can result in “compression lows,” where the pressure reduces the amount of fluid your CGM has access to, leading to a false low glucose reading. 

When your glucose levels off after this “compression low,” it can sometimes read as a glucose spike due to the jump in glucose value. If this happens, you can manually remove the Lingo Count from your glucose graph.  

Lingo tip: If you sleep on a particular side, try applying the CGM to the arm on the other side. If you’re someone who moves around while sleeping and you’re worried about knocking the biosensor loose, you could try an adhesive patch. 

Wearing tight clothing with Lingo 

When it comes to CGMs, the general advice is to wear loose-fitting clothing around your biosensor, but this isn’t always possible. Many folks have accidentally knocked their CGM loose when taking off or putting on a tight compression sports bra, for instance. 

A major perk of wearing Lingo is that many people don’t feel the biosensor on at all. However, this means you’re more likely to forget it’s there and accidentally snag it on a tight piece of clothing. 

If you’re going to wear something tight, take your time and stretch the clothing over the biosensor when taking it off or putting it on. It may take some getting used to, but the more you do it, the more instinctive it will become. 

Lingo tip: An adhesive patch will also provide some protection against clothing like bra straps catching against the edges of your biosensor. 

Do CGMs like Lingo work in extreme temperatures? 

The Lingo biosensor has an operating temperature of 50°F to 113°F (10°C to 45°C). If you expose it to temperatures outside of this range, your biosensor may not work.  

So, keep this in mind if you go in a sauna, hot tub, or cold plunge while wearing your Lingo, as the readings for that time frame may be less accurate. When the operating temperature range is restored, your biosensor should start to work normally again within about 15 minutes and will load any missing data. 

Lingo tip: Wearing an armband over your CGM when you’re in a sauna, cold plunge, or exposed to temperature extremes could help protect it from severe temperatures. 

A final note from Lingo 

Wearing a CGM like the Lingo biosensor can give you a lot of insights about your personal glucose data. This can help you evaluate the lifestyle behaviors that impact your glucose levels, and work towards positive behavior change to improve your well-being. And the longer you wear your CGM, the more you can learn. 

For extra support in keeping your biosensor in place, there are a number of options you can try. If you’re looking to use an adhesive patch, be sure to apply it right after you apply the biosensor. It should have a hole between 0.25 and 1 inch (6 and 28 millimeters) in size so that it doesn’t cover the opening in the center of the biosensor. 

You can apply extra medical-grade bandages or tape afterward, but don’t take any of it off until your biosensor is ready for removal. 

If your Lingo biosensor does fall off before the 14 days, don’t try to put it back on and reuse it. Each Lingo biosensor is single-use.  
 
You are eligible for a free Lingo biosensor replacement if your Lingo falls off or stops working before the 14 days and can reach out to request a new one from the customer support team. You can contact them in the following ways: 

• Email: lingosupport-us@hellolingo.com 
• Phone: 1-888-764-7684 (available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 days a week) 

To remove your biosensor, gently lift and slowly peel away one side of it from your skin. Then pull away the other side, and the biosensor will be removed. If the adhesive leaves any residue on your skin, you can remove it using soap and warm water. 

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