You can inject insulin using an insulin pen and needle, or insulin can also be released using a small insulin pump which you attach to your body.
Everyone with type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin as a medication. And so do some people with type 2 diabetes, some people with gestational diabetes and some people with other types of diabetes.
This page has been written for adults living with diabetes. If you have a child and need to help them inject insulin, go to our page on children’s insulin injections.
Types of insulin pen
There are two types of insulin pens:
- a pen that already has insulin in which you throw away after it’s empty
- a pen you can reuse with insulin cartridges that you change.
These are some of the insulin pens currently available in the UK:
Disposable insulin pens
- KwikPen pre-filled
- Junior KwikPen pre-filled
- InnoLet pre-filled
- SoloStar pre-filled
- DoubleStar pre-filled.
Two other disposable pens, the FlexPen pre-filled and FlexTouch pre-filled, have experienced shortages during 2025. Visit our page, what you need to know about insulin supplies in the UK, for more information.
Reusable insulin pens
- Humanpen Savvio
- NovoPen 6
- NovoPen Echo Plus
- AllStar
- JuniorSTAR.
Smart insulin pens
Smart insulin pens send information to an app on your phone or other device about your insulin doses. Like some other insulin pens, they also automatically record when and how much insulin you’ve taken.
Two smart pens are currently available on the NHS – the NovoPen6 or the NovoPen Echo Plus – which are compatible with Novo Nordisk disposable insulin cartridges.
To use a smart pen, your smartphone, tablet, computer, or blood glucose monitor will need to be able to support a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC).
This means you’ll be able to transfer information about your insulin doses to a connectable app.
Your injection kit
To inject insulin with an insulin pen safely you’ll need:
- An insulin pen – this can be one that already has insulin in which you throw away after it’s empty, or a pen you can reuse by changing the insulin cartridge yourself.
- Your needle – this is small and thin, as it only has to go just under the skin, not into a muscle or vein. These can only be used once.
- A sharps bin – this is where you will safely throw away your needle.
Sharps bin
Sharps bins are the safest way of disposing of your insulin needles and your lancets.
A sharps container is a sealed plastic box or container you can get on prescription from your GP surgery.
When full, the box should be collected for disposal from your home or other agreed location (free of charge) by your local council. Your healthcare team should have information.
You can also check your local council’s website to see if they offer a sharps collection service.
How to clean your injection site, insulin pen and carry cases
To clean your skin before injecting use soapy water with a clean flannel or cloth. You don’t need separate wipes. The instructions that come with your pen and carry case will tell you how to clean them.
How to inject insulin with an insulin pen
- Wash and dry your hands.
- Choose where you’re going to inject.
- Attach the needle to your pen – removing the outer and inner caps – point your pen upwards and dial up two units of insulin. Keeping your pen upward, press the plunger until a drop of insulin appears from the top of the needle. (If no insulin appears, repeat this step until it does). This is known as priming, and helps regulate your dose by removing any air from the needle and cartridge.
- Dial your dose and make sure the spot you’re injecting is clean and dry. If your injection site is dirty use soap and water to clean it. You do not need to use alcohol wipes.
- Insert the needle at a right angle (90° angle). Press the plunger until the dial goes back to 0.
- Count to 10, slowly, to give the insulin time to enter your body before removing the needle.
- Throw away the needle using your sharps bin. You’ll need to get rid of the bin safely when full.
Main injection sites for insulin
You’re looking for fatty tissue so the main injection sites are usually your stomach (in a semi-circle under your belly button), sides of your thighs and your bum.
It’s vital you choose a different spot each time – at least 1cm or half an inch from where you last injected. If not, hard lumps can appear that will stop your body absorbing and using the insulin properly.
Talk to your diabetes healthcare team about where to inject, this may change depending on the type of insulin or if you are doing exercise for example.
Your healthcare team should check your injection sites as part of your annual review.
How to reduce any anxiety about injections
Many people worry or feel anxious about starting insulin injections. You might be scared of needles, feel squeamish about injecting, worried about pain, or some people feel nervous or embarrassed about injecting in public. If you feel this way, you’re not alone.
These feelings are natural but can be more serious if they start to impact on how you manage your diabetes, like skipping insulin doses.
There are lots of things you can try that could help, such as:
- Finding a quiet place at work to do injections.
- Look into injection aids, like the TickleFLEX, which help to make injecting more comfortable and worry free. You just slide them over the needle and use the insulin pen in the normal way.
- Ease any discomfort by numbing the area with ice first, and rotating injection sites.
- Use a distraction like counting, singing, or watch a video while injecting.
Remember it’s fine to have fears and talk about them openly. If you’re worried about the needle itself, talk to a healthcare professional. They can advise on the right needle length for you and help you get used to doing injections.
Injecting really cold insulin is more uncomfortable, so check out our guide to storing your insulin so you know how to keep it room temperature but not too cold.
Learning more about why it’s important to take insulin to look after your health and prevent complications might also help you feel more positive about the injections.
Many people tell us that injecting their insulin is less painful than doing a finger prick to test blood sugars. So if you are already managing this you may not find injecting insulin as worrying as you anticipate.
Some people find that writing a list of questions and worries is a useful way of processing it all. Bring this list along to your next diabetes appointment and remember there are no silly questions or worries, they are all valid.
Try talking to others about it too – everyone’s different and you might learn some useful tips. Join one of our diabetes support groups or if you find it easier to chat to others online, use our online forum. You can also call our helpline to talk about your worries or ask us questions.
We know that diabetes doesn't just affect you physically, it can affect you emotionally too. Whatever you're feeling, you are not alone. We’ve put together some emotional support information you might find helpful and that you might like to share it with your family and friends too.
Avoiding lipohypertrophy, injection bruises and lumps
Bruising can happen when you catch a tiny blood vessel under the skin where you have injected.
It is quite normal for this to happen occasionally when you are injecting regularly and you’re not doing anything wrong.
If you are concerned, you could make an appointment with your diabetes specialist nurse who will be able to do a review of your injection technique. In some cases, bleeding and bruising can be reduced by something as simple as using a different sized needle.
Some people notice hard lumps that can form if you inject in the same place too often, or re-use needles. This might be lipohypertrophy (also known as lipos), or could be something called cutaneous amyloidosis.
These lumps can stop the insulin from working properly, so make sure you rotate where you inject and choose a different spot each time.
It’s also important to never re-use needles and to use a different one every time you inject. If you notice any lumps, especially if they're not going away, speak to your healthcare professional for more advice.
It is also possible that you might experience some skin irritations, speak to your healthcare team if this is a problem for you.
