Insulin Injection Sites

The most common insulin injection site is the abdomen (or stomach). The back of the upper arms, the upper buttocks or hips, and the outer side of the thighs are also used. These sites are the best to inject into for two reasons:

• They have a layer of fat just below the skin to absorb the insulin, but not many nerves - which means that injecting there will be more comfortable than injecting in other parts of your body.
   
• They make it easier to inject into the subcutaneous tissue, where insulin injection is recommended.

Depending on your body type, you'll find that certain insulin injection site work better than others.

• Some people, for example, prefer injecting in the abdomen because the insulin absorbs well there.
   
• But injecting in the abdomen isn't right for everyone, especially young children or people who are so thin and/or heavily muscled that they can't pinch up a half-inch of fat.