Insights
Antioxidant Scanner vs. Blood Test
Key Facts
- Scanner: method
- Non-invasive, light-based, skin surface
- Blood test: method
- Sample collection + lab analysis
- Both
- Estimate specific markers, not every antioxidant
Speed and Convenience
A skin scan is fast, repeatable, and doesn't require a clinical setting, which makes it practical for regular self-tracking. A blood test typically requires an appointment, sample collection, and a wait for lab results.
What Each One Actually Tells You
A carotenoid scan estimates one specific marker — skin carotenoid concentration. A blood panel can measure other markers directly, depending on what's ordered, but is not inherently more 'complete' with respect to total antioxidant status, since no single test covers everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which one is more accurate?
They measure different things in different ways, so 'more accurate' depends on what you're trying to learn. A scan is a fast proxy; a blood test measures selected markers directly from a sample.
Can I use both?
Yes — they're not mutually exclusive. Some people use skin scanning for frequent, convenient tracking and reserve blood testing for periodic, clinically-guided checks.
Has Prysm iO specifically been checked against blood tests?
In a Nu Skin clinical study of 46 adults, participants taking targeted supplements saw skin carotenoid increases (tracked by a Prysm iO prototype) alongside blood-marker increases — 44% higher serum vitamin C and 26% higher serum selenium — over 12 weeks.