How to Take Semaglutide Injections: a Step-by-Step Technique Guide

Step 1, Prepare your pen and choose your site

Take your Wegovy pen out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for around 15–30 minutes before you inject. Cold medicine going straight under the skin is one of the most common reasons people find their first injection uncomfortable, a short wait fixes that.

Choose one of the three licensed sites: the abdomen (avoiding the two-inch area around your navel), the front of your thigh, or the outer upper arm. If you are injecting your own upper arm, the abdomen or thigh is easier to reach reliably. The technique for a subcutaneous injection is consistent across all three; the main thing is to rotate, never injecting the same spot two weeks running.

Clean the skin with an alcohol swab and allow it to dry completely before proceeding. Injecting through wet skin can sting and may affect absorption. Check the pen's liquid window: the solution should be clear and colourless. If it looks cloudy or contains particles, do not use it. If you want a broader overview of how to take semaglutide, including preparation steps and general guidance, that resource covers the full picture in one place.

Step 2, Inject, then dispose

Remove the pen cap. Press the pen firmly against the skin, no need to pinch a fold unless you have very little subcutaneous fat at that site, in which case a gentle pinch is fine. Press and hold the button until you hear or feel a click, then keep the pen held against the skin for a further ten seconds. This allows the full dose to be delivered before you withdraw.

Withdraw the pen. A small amount of redness or a minor mark at the site is normal and usually fades within hours. Do not rub the area. Place the used pen directly into a sharps container, clinical waste regulations in the UK require this; standard household bins are not appropriate for needles. Your local GP surgery or pharmacy can advise on collection.

For more detail on the injection mechanics themselves, the full injection technique guide on our site goes further on needle angle, depth and managing site reactions.

Step 3, Weekly timing and what to do if you miss a dose

Semaglutide injections are once weekly. You can choose any day of the week that fits your routine, many people pick a Sunday evening or a Monday morning. The one constraint is that doses must be at least five days apart, so if you change your injection day you need to plan around that spacing.

If a dose is missed, the right course of action depends on how much time has passed since it was due. This is exactly the kind of question that should go to your prescriber or our aftercare team rather than a general guide. The Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your pen also covers this clearly. Questions about when to take semaglutide injections (including day-of-week flexibility) are covered in more detail separately. For answers on how often semaglutide injections are taken and what drives that frequency, that guide is a useful companion read.

Side effects to be aware of, and when to seek help

Nausea is the most reported side effect, particularly in the early weeks and after each dose step. It tends to settle as your body adjusts. Vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and indigestion also appear in the clinical data from the STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, where gastrointestinal effects were the most common reason participants found the titration period uncomfortable.

A small number of people experience more serious effects. The MHRA advises anyone on a GLP-1 medicine to seek urgent medical attention for severe, persistent stomach pain that spreads to the back (with or without vomiting) as this can signal acute pancreatitis. You can report any unexpected effects using the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. The NHS semaglutide medicines page is a reliable reference for the full side-effect profile and what to do about each one.

Semaglutide is not recommended during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or if you are actively trying to conceive, and it is not licensed for use in anyone under 18. If any of these situations apply to you, speak to your prescriber before your next dose.

If you are considering Wegovy and want to understand the cost side before going further, the Wegovy price comparison page covers what private treatment typically costs in the UK and what to look for in a provider. When you are ready to take the next step, start your free consultation and a GPhC-registered prescriber will review your case the same day.