A lancing device includes a housing, a lancing unit capable of reciprocating relative to the housing, an elastic member for causing the lancing unit to reciprocate, and a resistance generator for applying resistance to the lancing unit in motion. The reciprocating motion of the lancing unit includes a puncture section or interval and a retreat section following the puncture section. The puncture section includes a puncture point at which a lancing element of the lancing unit can prick the skin of a human subject, for example. The resistance generator is configured to apply a greater resistance to the lancing unit in the retreat section than in the puncture section.