There’s a specific technique for injecting Wegovy (semaglutide) so that the drug won’t leak out of the injection site. Learn how to inject Wegovy properly and what to do if leakage still occurs.

Wegovy is a prescription medication used to help with weight loss in certain people. The drug comes as a liquid solution in single-dose prefilled pens and is given as an injection under your skin.

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Choosing the right injection site and following the injection instructions exactly can help reduce many instances of leakage.

Where’s the best injection area to prevent leakage?

Several areas of your body are equally effective for Wegovy injections. These include:

  • your lower stomach (at least 2 inches from your belly button)
  • upper arm
  • front upper thigh

If you have difficulty with Wegovy leaking from an abdominal injection site, you might have more success using your front upper thigh or upper arm. These areas are typically firmer than the stomach, and using them may help avoid leakage. If you do inject into your abdomen, try standing up to tighten the skin there.

Regardless of where you choose to inject Wegovy, be sure to change the exact location each time to avoid injection site reactions. For example, you can switch thighs from one dose to the next or inject into the same thigh a few inches from your last injection site.

Keep in mind that even within the areas approved for injection, there are places you should not inject Wegovy. These include:

  • a vein or muscle
  • any area with stretch marks or scars
  • skin that’s bruised or discolored, tender or hard

Talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional before your first Wegovy injection. They can show you the proper technique and help you determine which injection sites are best for you.

What’s the best injection technique to prevent leakage?

To be sure you get the full dose of the drug, it’s important to follow the injection instructions closely.

Detailed instructions are available from several sources:

  • Check out the “How to use the Wegovy pen” video on the manufacturer’s website.
  • Follow the step-by-step directions outlined in the drug’s prescribing information (beginning on page 38).
  • Refer to the instructions for use that come with your Wegovy pen.

In general terms, the Wegovy injection process is as follows:

  1. Clean your hands and then the injection site with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Let your skin dry.
  2. Pull the cap straight off the pen.
  3. Push the needle cover firmly against your skin, and keep it firmly there the entire time.
  4. The injection starts when you hear the first click, and the yellow bar in the pen’s window begins to move. If this doesn’t occur, apply more pressure.
  5. The pen will click a second time. Keep applying pressure, as this sound indicates the injection is still in progress.
  6. The injection is finished when the yellow bar stops moving.
  7. Again, the first click means the injection has started. The second click means it’s still in progress. The injection is complete when the yellow bar stops moving (typically 5 to 10 seconds from the initial click).
  8. Slowly pull the pen away from your skin.
  9. Press a cotton ball or gauze pad lightly against the spot if there’s any bleeding.

Drug leakage can occur if you don’t press the pen firmly enough against your skin or if you pull the pen away too soon. You may see fluid leaking or squirting from the needle or pooling on your skin.

Note that the needle cover locks as soon as you remove the pen from your skin, so once you’ve stopped an injection, you can’t restart it.

You should immediately discard used pens in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved sharps disposal container. For more information, check out this FDA page.

If you follow all the appropriate steps and Wegovy is still leaking from the injection site, it may be due to a pen malfunction.

Wegovy has a helpline you can call at 833-4-WEGOVY if you have a pen that’s not working properly.

You can also call the drug manufacturer at 833-934-6891 for assistance with issues such as the following:

  • The pen has passed its expiration date.
  • The fluid in the pen is not colorless and clear.
  • Any part of the pen has been damaged or broken.
  • The pen looks like it’s been used.

If you have a Wegovy pen that’s not working correctly, discard of it properly without using it and try a new pen instead.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.