A Complete Beginner’s Guide To Peptide Injections
NOTE: If you haven't yet reconstituted your lyophilized peptide, you can check out our guide on that here!
Introduction:
There are 2 ways peptides can be injected, either Subcutaneously (SubQ) or Intramuscular (IM).
SubQ: Injected into fat layer under skin (most common, safest and most convenient)
Intramuscular (IM): Injected into muscle tissue (less common, faster absorption)
When it comes to peptides, SubQ is the easiest, safest, and most convenient. All Eternal Research Labs can be injected via this method. For those reasons, this guide will focus on SubQ injections.
For the vast majority of peptides, IM injections are not recommended, although an option. This method requires longer needles than regular insulin needles and is typically more prone to pain, irritation, and infection, albeit rare.
What You'll Need:
Checklist:
Your peptide vial (reconstituted)
Alcohol swabs
1ml Insulin syringes (31G, 6mm or 8mm for comfort) - other syringe sizes are acceptable
Sharps container (optional)
Let's Get Started:
Step 1: Grab your vial (it should already be reconstituted, if you don't know how to do that, start here)
Step 2: Wipe the stopper (the rubber part) with an alcohol swab and let it dry for 2 to 3 minutes
Step 3: Flip the vial so the rubber stopper is facing downwards (can be slightly angled towards you)
Step 4: Uncap your insulin needle on both ends and draw the plunger back to the exact amount you'll be injecting
Step 5: Insert the insulin needle into the center of the plunger and push the plunger all the way down
Step 6: Slowly pull back on the plunger to the desired amount (use the markers on the syringe)
NOTE: The reconstituted peptide will likely slow-drip into your syringe as you gently pull back on the plunger. Be patient, this is normal. The drips of reconstituted peptide will eventually fill the syringe. It's totally okay to push past the desired marker on the syringe (overfill) and then slowly push the excess air and/or liquid back into the vial until the desired marker on the syringe is reached. Once that's done, slowly pull out the needle out of the stopper -- you're now ready to inject.
Step 7: Use one hand to lightly pinch the skin of either your thigh or abdomen
Step 8: With the other hand (holding the insulin syringe), inject the needle at a 45 degree angle into your skin and push the plunger in until it's emptied
TIP #1: Make sure the needle is beveled side up, meaning you can see the oval-shaped hole when looking at the needle. This will help the needle slide in more easily.
TIP #2: Push the plunger down slowly rather than quickly. The slower entry of reconstituted peptide doesn’t fracture tissue as much and may lessen potential bruising (bruising is very rare).
Step 9: Once you're done injecting, cap the needle and dispose the syringe (ideally into a sharps container).
Note: If you see a tiny bit of blood at the injection site, do not be alarmed. Simply wipe it and keep the injection area clean.
FAQ: Peptide Injections
How do I know how much to inject?
How much you inject will depend on the peptide you're using and how much bacteriostatic water you put into the vial to reconstitute the peptide. For more information, view the Reconstitution Guide here.
Where should I inject?
There are a few common subq injection sites, all of which are places on the body with a layer of fatty tissue under the skin. The most popular is the stomach area (abdomen), followed by the upper outer thigh, and then the upper arm.
Are subQ injections painful?
When done correctly, no. At the very worst, they are equivalent to a bee sting (without the swelling), but in most circumstances they are 100% pain-free. Even those super sensitive to pain will typically find these types of injections tolerable. If you've ever had your blood taken, it wouldn't even come close to that. In other words, it's a cakewalk.
Important: Make sure to use a quality syringe with a 31 gauge. And make sure to inject at a 45 degree angle with the beveled side of the needle facing out as opposed to the area of injection. You should be able to see the opening of the needle.
Should I use an alcohol swab on my skin prior to injection?
Although it won't harm you if you do, it is unnecessary assuming you're not covered in mud or something equivalent. The insulin needle is so small that the odds of it causing an infection are extremely unlikely, and a study shows swabbing injection sites makes no statistical difference when it comes to infections. Further, swabbing will introduce alcohol onto the skin. When you inject in the swabbed area, you're going to push some of that alcohol under the skin which is more likely to cause a harsher stinging sensation, making the injection potentially less comfortable.
There is a tiny air bubble in my syringe, what do I do?
If you have a stubborn air bubble that you couldn't tap/navigate to the top of the syringe and push out, then don't panic. Since the reconstituted peptide is going under the skin, the tiny bubble will not harm you. You may need to inject ever so slightly more of the reconstituted peptide to make up for the displacement caused by the air bubble.
Tips & Precautions: Peptide Injections
Never inject in the exact same spot twice. Either rotate between stomach, thigh, and arm, or, at the very least, leave a 1-inch space between the last spot you injected into and the next one. This ensures you avoid potential scar tissue build-up that can occur when consistently injecting into the same spot.
Do not reuse insulin syringes. A single insulin needle will go once into a rubber stopper (on the peptide vial) and once into your skin - that's it. If you mess up going into the rubber stopper and feel you need to make another attempt, it's best to simply push any drawn reconstituted peptide back in (assuming you have any inside your syringe) and restart the process with a fresh insulin syringe/needle.
When injecting anything new for the very first time, always start with a tiny dose, even if you have to follow it up with another injection 30 minutes later. The idea behind this is to ensure you're not prone to a harsh/allergic reaction to the compound you're introducing into your body. Don't worry! Allergic reactions are extremely rare, but it's better to err on the side of caution as there is little downside to doing so.
Although minor irritation and bruising is not abnormal, if the injection site becomes red, warm, or painful in the days following your injection, stop using the peptide. Getting an infection from a subcutaneous injection is extremely rare, but in the unlikely event you develop one, it's best to seek medical intervention.
At the end of the day, it's difficult to mess this up or cause yourself any major harm. Injecting peptides is simple and relatively safe (when following the easy steps above). After doing it once and seeing for yourself just how easy and painless it is, you'll wish you started sooner!
