Injection technique
Insert at ninety degrees in one decisive movement, press the plunger fully, then hold the needle still for ten seconds before withdrawing at the same angle. Hesitating on the way in is what makes it hurt; withdrawing early is what makes it leak.
This covers using the equipment. It is not medical advice, and what you inject is a matter for you and a qualified professional.
Angle
Ninety degrees, straight in, for a 6mm pen needle on the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. The forty-five degree angle people mention comes from longer needles, where going straight in risks reaching muscle. With a short needle, angling it just means an inconsistent depth.
Speed
Fast in, slow to deliver. The insertion should be one committed movement, because a slow approach drags the tip across nerve endings for longer and that is precisely what people describe as the painful part. Delivery is the opposite: press steadily and let the tissue accept the volume.
The ten seconds
The step everyone skips. Liquid injected into fat needs a moment to disperse. Pull out immediately and the pressure behind it pushes some back up the needle track, which is the droplet people find on their skin afterwards.
Count it out properly. Manufacturers of commercial pens specify between six and ten seconds; ten costs nothing and covers larger volumes.
Common technique errors
- Hovering before insertion, which prolongs the only unpleasant bit
- Injecting through wet alcohol, which stings sharply
- Squeezing a pinch hard enough to compress the tissue
- Changing angle while the needle is in
- Rubbing the site afterwards, which pushes liquid back towards the surface
Making it more comfortable
Let the liquid reach room temperature first, because cold stings noticeably more than the needle does. Use a fresh needle every time. Let the alcohol dry completely. Those three between them account for most of the difference between a comfortable injection and an unpleasant one.
Questions
- Should I aspirate before injecting?
- Not for subcutaneous injection with a pen. Pulling back on a pen is not possible anyway, and the practice comes from intramuscular technique.
- Why does it sting sometimes and not others?
- Usually temperature or alcohol that has not dried. Site also matters: some spots are simply more sensitive than others.
- Should I massage the area afterwards?
- No. Leave it alone. Rubbing works against the ten seconds you just spent letting it disperse.
Starter Kit
Reusable pen, two extra cartridges, ten needles and ten swabs.