Steroids come in all shapes and sizes but injectables are often the gentlest on the body and the easiest to tolerate, despite the more challenging route of administration.
Quite aside from the effects of the steroids themselves, you’ll also need to consider whereabouts you plan on injecting as some sites are preferable to others.
Here’s a quick look at the difference between subcutaneous and intramuscular, along with everything you need to know.
Injecting intramuscularly (IM)
For the most part, steroids are designed to be injected intramuscularly and there’s a wide range of sites to choose from. Most can hold between 3-5cc of fluid without too much of a problem but you should rotate the muscles used so that ideally you don’t inject any one area more than once in 7-10 days.
The buttocks
The gluten are a big hit with many users because the muscle is one of the biggest in the body, with scant nerve endings. These two factors combined make it one of the best sites to use.
You’ll need to aim for the upper, outer part of your buttocks as you’ll find that not only is this less painful as there’s few muscle endings, but also there’s far less blood vessels to hit too.
Twisting around to jab yourself in the butt might not feel terribly easy at first but with practice you’ll find it gets less challenging.
The thighs
This is another site which is very popular, being that it is large and much easier to administer. The other reason why it’s often used is that it’s much simpler to deliver the injection, without the need to twist round uncomfortably.
Because the thigh muscles are so big, it’s possible to inject deep into the muscle using both hands. For many people this is their favorite site.
Pecs
Not a particularly common site to use but more those who are more experienced may decide to give it a go.
Using the chest area provides an additional site to rotate the injections around. Inject into the deepest section of the pecs in a slightly across motion to get the best result.
Deltoids
This is a site which is more commonly used again, being reasonably easy to access and not too sensitive.
To be effective you’ll need to inject into the deepest part of the shoulder; this should be higher than the armpit and in the area known as the lateral head.
Biceps and triceps
If you like using your deltoids as an injection site, your triceps and biceps may also be a good spot for you.
Always make sure you inject into the deepest area to achieve the right result.
Subcutaneous
This isn’t usually the preferred route for injecting steroids but in some cases, it may be possible, depending on the type of drug and how fast acting it is.
The thing to bear in mind is that subcutaneous injections must be much smaller as there’s not the same room to accommodate larger amounts of fluid.
The upper arm, thigh and lower back can all be used for subcutaneous injections but the most popular by a long stretch is the abdomen. This is because it’s simpler to administer and there’s more subcutaneous tissue.
Injecting into the abdomen is relatively easy but you’ll need to take it slowly. It’s also much easier to acquire scar tissue so rotation is imperative and you should always leave at least an inch between the area you inject into. Stay away from the belly button by at least two inches.
