A guidewire for use in penetrating through complex and stenosed lesions. The distal tip of the guidewire has a roughened surface to increase frictional engagement with calcified and fibrous tissue to increase the penetration of the distal tip and the guidewire into and through the lesion and reduce the likelihood of deflection of the guidewire tip. The average surface roughness of the distal tip is in the range from 1 micron to 200 microns.