Fat is your friendAlways inject in the healthy fat layer under your skin. For your medication to work properly it needs to be injected into the fat layer under your skin to avoid the muscle. It is also important to use a new site each time for every injection. Do not inject into the same site repeatedly. If you inject into the muscle, or a scar or any area where your skin feels thick or lumpy, your medication may not work the way it is supposed to and may lead to changes in your blood sugarOn an average the skin is only 2-2.5 mm thick, so you don't need a needle much longer than that to reach the fat layer. When injected at 90 degrees, 4 mm pen needle ensures insulin is inserted into the fat layer over 99.5 per cent of the time, at all injection sites.Angles matter4 mm pen needles, inserted at 90 degree with no skin fold, are recommended for all adults and children. The Mayo Clinic Proceedings recommendations observe that a 4 mm pen needle is considered the safest for adults and children- regardless of your age, sex, ethnicity or body weight. Because it's short, you can inject a 4 mm pen needle straight into your skin at 90 degrees without a skin fold. If you need to use a syringe, a 6 mm needle is the shortest available and you should inject at 90 degree into a skin fold.Note: Children 6 years and under and very thin adults should perform a skin fold and inject at 90 degrees.Site of injectionInject your medication into areas on your abdomen, thigh, buttocks and upper arms. It's important to make use of all these injection sites a part of a healthy injection site rotation plan. It's important to rotate your injection sites to help keep all of your sites healthy.Work with your healthcare team to develop an injection site rotation plan that works for you. Remember to inject one finger's width away from your last injection. A single injection site should not be used more than once every 4 weeks.Lumps and bumpsCheck your injection sites for lumps and bumps. Thickened skin or rubbery lumps and bumps can build up in the fat layer under your skin at your injection sites. Do not inject into these lumps and bumps. These lumps and bumps are called “lipos”.You should check your injection sites for these lumps and bumps on a regular basis. If you inject into these lumps and bumps, your medication may not work to control your Diabetes the way it's supposed to. To avoid developing these lumps and bumps, be sure to:Inject your medication into a new site with every injection.Use a new needle for every injection to avoid developing lumps and bumps.Rotate your injection sitesIt's important to rotate your injection sites to retain healthy skin and reduce your risk of developing lipos. Try not to use an injection site more than once every four weeks.When you rotate your injection sites properly, your skin can heal between injections.Choose an area.Divide that area into 4 quadrants.Select a site in a quadrant to start injecting. Use one quadrant per week.Inject one finger's width, from your last injection. Following these golden rules can help you better manage your Diabetes.Never reuse insulin pens and needlesSterilityIf you reuse a pen, it means that it is no longer sterile.Insulin painInsulin needles are finely ground and lubricated. Reuse leads to tip damage and loss of lubricant which causes pain.Dosage accuracyKeeping a pen needle on your insulin pen may affect the accuracy of your dose.
Fat is your friendAlways inject in the healthy fat layer under your skin. For your medication to work properly it needs to be injected into the fat layer under your skin to avoid the muscle. It is also important to use a new site each time for every injection. Do not inject into the same site repeatedly. If you inject into the muscle, or a scar or any area where your skin feels thick or lumpy, your medication may not work the way it is supposed to and may lead to changes in your blood sugarOn an average the skin is only 2-2.5 mm thick, so you don't need a needle much longer than that to reach the fat layer. When injected at 90 degrees, 4 mm pen needle ensures insulin is inserted into the fat layer over 99.5 per cent of the time, at all injection sites.Angles matter4 mm pen needles, inserted at 90 degree with no skin fold, are recommended for all adults and children. The Mayo Clinic Proceedings recommendations observe that a 4 mm pen needle is considered the safest for adults and children- regardless of your age, sex, ethnicity or body weight. Because it's short, you can inject a 4 mm pen needle straight into your skin at 90 degrees without a skin fold. If you need to use a syringe, a 6 mm needle is the shortest available and you should inject at 90 degree into a skin fold.Note: Children 6 years and under and very thin adults should perform a skin fold and inject at 90 degrees.Site of injectionInject your medication into areas on your abdomen, thigh, buttocks and upper arms. It's important to make use of all these injection sites a part of a healthy injection site rotation plan. It's important to rotate your injection sites to help keep all of your sites healthy.Work with your healthcare team to develop an injection site rotation plan that works for you. Remember to inject one finger's width away from your last injection. A single injection site should not be used more than once every 4 weeks.Lumps and bumpsCheck your injection sites for lumps and bumps. Thickened skin or rubbery lumps and bumps can build up in the fat layer under your skin at your injection sites. Do not inject into these lumps and bumps. These lumps and bumps are called “lipos”.You should check your injection sites for these lumps and bumps on a regular basis. If you inject into these lumps and bumps, your medication may not work to control your Diabetes the way it's supposed to. To avoid developing these lumps and bumps, be sure to:Inject your medication into a new site with every injection.Use a new needle for every injection to avoid developing lumps and bumps.Rotate your injection sitesIt's important to rotate your injection sites to retain healthy skin and reduce your risk of developing lipos. Try not to use an injection site more than once every four weeks.When you rotate your injection sites properly, your skin can heal between injections.Choose an area.Divide that area into 4 quadrants.Select a site in a quadrant to start injecting. Use one quadrant per week.Inject one finger's width, from your last injection. Following these golden rules can help you better manage your Diabetes.Never reuse insulin pens and needlesSterilityIf you reuse a pen, it means that it is no longer sterile.Insulin painInsulin needles are finely ground and lubricated. Reuse leads to tip damage and loss of lubricant which causes pain.Dosage accuracyKeeping a pen needle on your insulin pen may affect the accuracy of your dose.
