Skin-popping is a type of injection between skin and fat layers. It is sometimes called “subcutaneous” or “sub-Q,” meaning underneath the skin, as opposed to intravenous, which is into the vein.
Why do people muscle or skin-pop?
Some users may have trouble finding a vein, or simply don’t like injecting into the vein. Others may prefer to skin-pop as it reduces the chances of an overdose as the drug takes longer to enter the blood stream. It takes longer to feel the full effect of the drug, but the high may last longer as a result.
What are potential problems with skin-popping?
Skin popping should only be contemplated when injecting heroin, and even then only the white gear. Other drugs are just too nasty to have injected under the skin.
As with any kind of injecting, there is the risk of picking up blood-borne viruses such as HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B. There is also the risk of bacterial infections. Skin-popping gives germs a greater chance to take hold in muscle or fat tissue. Infections can lead to abscesses and can potentially spread to other parts of the body, such as the bloodstream, heart and bones. Some of the worst infections include wound botulism, tetanus (also called “lockjaw”) and necrotising fasciitis (“flesh eating disease”).
A guide to safer skin-popping
Even following good guidelines, any type of injecting is risky. Consider
safer alternatives such as swallowing, smoking, snorting (nasal ingestion)
or shafting (rectal insertion). If you do decide to skin-pop, thoroughly
wash your hands, drug preparation area and use new fits every time.
Filtering your mix is especially important when skin-popping due to the
higher risks of infections. At the very least, use the filter in your sharps
kit from the Needle & Syringe Program, and ideally use a wheel filter as well.
Use the alcohol swab in your fits pack from the Needle & Syringe Program and wipe once, one
way only, over your injection site. It is the drying action of the alcohol
that kills germs, not rubbing the swab around!
The best places to skin-pop are in your upper arms or thighs. Don’t
inject more than 0.5 ml in one spot. While any drug is going to irritate
your skin, fat layers or muscle, speed and cocaine can be particularly irritating
and it is advisable to find safer methods of taking these.
If you are skin-popping regularly, remember to use different sites each time. Even with a new sharp needle, your skin and body tissues are ruptured and take time to heal after injection. Rotating your sites means your body has time to heal itself.
Watch out for infections
With the high risk of infections, it is important to keep your eye out for lumps, pain, discolouration and any other abnormal signs around your injection sites. Get to your local hospital, doctor, or Needle & Syringe Program for advice. While injecting drug users often avoid health services in case of judgmental attitudes, infections can lead to major, even life-threatening, health problems if left untreated.
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