The three Most Frequent GLP-1 Injection Websites

When utilizing glucagon-like peptide-1 medication (GLP-1s) for weight reduction or diabetes, it is advisable to get comfy with injecting the medicine underneath your pores and skin (subcutaneously). Sometimes, you’ll goal your abdomen, thigh, or higher arm as a result of these areas are likely to have extra fats tissue.

When injecting the medicine, rotate websites or keep away from injecting it in the identical spot twice in a row. This helps stop injection website reactions like swelling and rashes. It could additionally stop lipohypertrophy, which is when a lump of fatty tissue varieties underneath the pores and skin.

Why It Works: Whereas analysis will not be conclusive, some research have discovered that injecting a GLP-1 into your stomach might assist with the absorption charge. One examine discovered that individuals who injected the medicine into the fats on their abdomen absorbed the medicine extra rapidly than those that used their thigh as an injection website. Nonetheless, these variations have been very minor, and extra analysis is required.

How To Do It: Choose a location that’s under your ribs and above your hip bones. The injection website needs to be not less than 2 inches away out of your stomach button and not less than 1 inch away from a earlier injection website. Additionally, ensure that to clean your fingers and dry them with a clear paper towel earlier than performing the injection, and disinfect the injection website with an alcohol pad.

What To Keep away from: Keep away from injecting the medicine into damaged or swollen pores and skin. You must also keep away from scars, stretch marks, tattoos, or areas the place there’s redness or irritation.

Why It Works: Your thigh sometimes has sufficient fatty tissue that you could find injection website. It’s also simple to see and attain, and will really feel much less invasive than utilizing your stomach. Nonetheless, some research on injections have discovered that individuals typically discover injections within the thigh extra painful than within the stomach.

How To Do It: Select a location on the outer a part of your thigh the place there’s sufficient fatty tissue to keep away from the muscle. Identical to the stomach, it is best to wash your fingers beforehand, dry them with a clear paper towel, and disinfect the pores and skin with an alcohol pad.

What To Keep away from: If in case you have shaved the world just lately, keep away from utilizing your thigh as an injection website. Additionally, avoid areas which are pink, irritated, sore (from a exercise), or that include stretch marks or tattoos. Ensure your injection website is not less than 1 inch away from a earlier injection website.

Why It Works: Some individuals like utilizing the higher arm as an injection website as a result of it doesn’t require getting undressed like utilizing your thigh would possibly. Nonetheless, your higher arm could be considerably more durable to succeed in whereas holding the needle at a 90-degree angle.

How To Do It: Choose an space that’s not less than 3 inches under your shoulder and three inches above your elbow, on the aspect or again of your arm. That is sometimes thought-about your tricep space. You could have to ask somebody that will help you with the injection to get the precise angle. Once more, be sure you or the injector’s fingers are clear and the pores and skin is disinfected.

What To Keep away from: As with the opposite injection websites, keep away from pores and skin that comprises tattoos, scars, bruising, or stretch marks. You must also keep away from pores and skin areas which are damaged, pink, or irritated. In case your arm is sore from a exercise, select a unique location.