How do I inject a GLP-1 correctly?

Site selection and rotation. Three approved zones: abdomen (stay ≥2 inches from the navel), front/outer thigh, back of upper arm (easier with help). All deliver equivalent absorption — pick by comfort, but rotate within and between zones weekly; repeated same-spot injections cause lumps and irritation. Avoid bruised, scarred, or tender spots. The routine: 1. Pen out of the fridge ≈5–15 minutes early (cold injections sting more). Inspect: right drug, right dose, liquid clear. 2. Wash hands; alcohol-swab the site; let it dry (wet alcohol = the actual sting). 3. Pinch a fold of skin if lean; insert at 90°. Fixed-needle pens (Wegovy, Zepbound) fire on press — hold against skin for the full count in the instructions (typically 5–10 seconds) so the complete dose delivers. 4. Withdraw straight out. A drop of blood or a small welt is normal; rub nothing. 5. Sharps container (a rigid laundry-detergent bottle works where regulations allow; pharmacies sell proper ones cheaply). Never household trash, never recap loose needles. Vials and syringes (LillyDirect Zepbound vials, most compounded products): same sites and angle, but you draw the dose yourself — insulin syringes, units math, air-bubble flick. Non-negotiable: have your program or pharmacist demonstrate your exact draw once; dosing-confusion errors with vials are the FDA’s most-cited compounded-GLP-1 problem (context). Timing trivia that isn’t trivia: any time of day, with or without food, same weekly day (shifting is allowed). Many people inject Friday evening so any next-day queasiness lands on the weekend. Needle anxiety, honestly handled: the needle is 4–5 mm, thinner than a sewing pin; the most common first-timer report is “that’s it?” If the fear persists anyway, needle-free forms exist — an honest trade of evidence strength for comfort.