Insulin Syringe

American Diabetic Supply encourages you to rotate the injection sites on your body. There are several types of injection site problems which can easily occur that rotation can resolve or alleviate. The abdomen has been shown to be the area of the body which absorbs insulin the fastest, while the arms and legs are slower. Whichever area you are most comfortable administering your insulin into is fine, but we encourage you to not inject in the same spot every time.

Lipoatrophy is thought to be caused when your injection area has an immune reaction to your insulin. This usually results in a loss of fat under the skin. If you notice indentations or dents at your injection site, you may have lipoatrophy.

Hypertrophy is when the injection site takes on a lumpy appearance. This occurs when fat cells are overproduced at the injection site. As a result, your skin may take on a scarred appearance. While hypertrophy and lipoatrophy are not health risks in themselves, attempts should be made to rotate injection sites to prevent them from occurring. It is recommended you do not inject your insulin into any afflicted skin areas.

Rotate Injection Sites for Optimal Skin Health
It's recommend that you start a pattern of rotating your injection sites. For example, if you choose to inject in your abdomen, try to space each injection area at least two inches away from your last injection site. You can work in a clockwise or counterclockwise pattern; that will be a matter of personal preference. If you inject into your leg, you can start at the top and work your way down in a straight line.