How to inject Wegovy — 7 critical steps for safe success.

Learning how to inject Wegovy properly makes every weekly dose quicker, more comfortable and more reliable. This guide walks through the UK FlexTouch pen step by step, from the first flow check to safe needle disposal.

Alongside how to inject Wegovy step by step, it covers where to inject, the dose schedule, storage and what to do if you miss a dose. Everything here follows the official Wegovy patient information leaflet, which is always the final word for your pen.

What’s in your Wegovy pen pack

Before learning how to inject Wegovy, it helps to know what’s in the box. In the UK, it comes as the FlexTouch pen. Each pen holds four weekly doses of one strength, and the pack includes four disposable NovoFine Plus needles.

The pen is dial-a-dose, but it only lets you select one full dose at a time. That makes it hard to take too much by accident, as long as you follow the steps below.

At 7.2mg, how to inject Wegovy changes slightly. It’s given either with a dedicated single-dose pen that has the needle already attached, or as three 2.4mg injections on the same day, depending on what you’ve been prescribed.

What you need before you start

Before you practise how to inject Wegovy, set everything out on a clean surface. You’ll need:

• Your Wegovy FlexTouch pen, checked for the right strength and expiry date
• One new NovoFine Plus needle for this dose
• An alcohol swab or soap and water to clean the skin
• A sharps bin for the used needle
• A clean cotton wool ball in case of a small spot of blood
• A note of where you injected last week, so you can rotate

7 critical steps: how to inject Wegovy

This is how to inject Wegovy with the UK FlexTouch pen. The whole process takes a few minutes once it becomes routine.

Step 1: Check your pen

The first rule of how to inject Wegovy safely is checking the pen. Make sure the label shows Wegovy and the strength you’ve been prescribed. Look through the pen window: the liquid should be clear and colourless.

If it looks cloudy or coloured, or the pen is past its expiry date, don’t use it.

Step 2: Attach a new needle

Peel the paper tab off a new needle and screw it straight onto the pen until it’s tight. Pull off the outer needle cap and keep it for later, then pull off the thin inner cap and throw it away. A fresh needle every week is a core part of how to inject Wegovy safely.

Step 3: Do a flow check (new pens only)

Before the first dose from each new pen, turn the dose selector to the flow check symbol. Hold the pen with the needle pointing up and press the dose button until the counter returns to 0.

A drop should appear at the tip, which shows the pen is working. This is the step most people skip when learning how to inject Wegovy. If no drop appears, follow the troubleshooting steps in your leaflet before you inject.

Step 4: Set your dose

Turn the dose selector until the counter stops and your dose lines up with the pointer. Getting this right is central to how to inject Wegovy correctly. If the counter stops early, there isn’t enough left, so start a new pen.

Step 5: Choose and clean your injection site

Pick a spot on your stomach, the front of your thigh or your upper arm. Clean the skin and let it dry fully. Any of the three areas works for how to inject Wegovy, so choose what feels comfortable.

Step 6: Inject and hold for 6 seconds

Insert the needle straight into the skin. Press and hold the dose button until the counter shows 0, then keep pressing while you count slowly to 6.

Holding for the full 6 seconds is the heart of how to inject Wegovy properly, because it makes sure the whole dose goes in. Most people who get this wrong when learning how to inject Wegovy simply let go too early.

Step 7: Remove, dispose and cap

Pull the needle straight out of your skin. Carefully put the outer cap back on the needle, unscrew it and drop it into your sharps bin.

Put the pen cap back on to protect it from light, and store the pen without a needle attached. Safe disposal is the final part of how to inject Wegovy.

Where to inject

Knowing where to place the needle is part of how to inject Wegovy well. It goes into the fatty layer under the skin, never into a vein or muscle. There are three suitable areas, and each works equally well.

• Stomach: anywhere at least 5cm (about two finger-widths) from your belly button
• Thigh: the front of the upper leg, between the knee and the hip
• Upper arm: the back or outer side, which is easier if someone helps you

Rotating is a key habit in how to inject Wegovy. Use a different spot each week, even within the same area. Rotating sites helps prevent lumps and sore patches, in line with Diabetes UK injection guidance for regular injections under the skin.

For the 7.2mg dose as three 2.4mg injections, how to inject Wegovy is the same, but the injections can go in the same body area but should be at least 5cm apart. Use a new needle for each one.

Does a Wegovy injection hurt?

Most people worried about how to inject Wegovy are really worried about pain. In practice, most feel only a quick scratch. The NovoFine Plus needles are very short and fine, and they only need to reach the fatty layer just under the skin.

A few simple habits make how to inject Wegovy more comfortable. Let the skin dry fully after cleaning, relax the area rather than tensing it, and insert the needle in one smooth movement.

Mild redness or a small bruise at the spot is common and usually fades within a day or two. If you notice a hard lump, rotate away from that area for a few weeks and mention it to your prescriber.

Once you know how to inject Wegovy and have done it a few times, most people say the anticipation was worse than the injection itself.

The Wegovy dose schedule

Wegovy starts low and increases every 4 weeks, which gives your body time to adjust and helps limit nausea. How to inject Wegovy stays the same at every dose; only the pen strength changes.

Weeks	Weekly dose	Stage
1–4	0.25mg	Starting dose
5–8	0.5mg	Increase
9–12	1mg	Increase
13–16	1.7mg	Increase
17 onwards	2.4mg	Maintenance dose
After 4+ weeks on 2.4mg	7.2mg	Optional higher dose, if prescribed

If side effects are hard to manage, your prescriber may keep you on a dose for longer before moving up. Never skip ahead to a higher strength on your own, and remember that how to inject Wegovy at a new strength is exactly the same.

For a week-by-week breakdown, see our full Wegovy dosing schedule. If your weight loss slows once you reach maintenance, our guide to breaking through a Wegovy plateau explains the most common causes and what to try next.

Storing your pen

• Before first use: keep the pen in the fridge at 2 to 8°C, away from the cooling element
• Once started: keep it for up to 6 weeks below 30°C or in the fridge
• Protect from light: put the pen cap back on after every injection
• Never freeze it: a pen that has frozen must not be used, even after it thaws
• No needle attached: remove the needle after each dose to prevent leaks and blockages

Write the date you first used each pen on the label. After 6 weeks, throw it away even if some liquid is left. Good storage is part of how to inject Wegovy safely.

If you miss a dose

Timing is part of how to inject Wegovy too. Inject once a week on the same day, at any time, with or without food. If you forget, what you do depends on how long it’s been.

If it’s 5 days or fewer since your missed dose, inject as soon as you remember. If it’s more than 5 days, skip it and take your next dose on your usual day.

Never take two doses to make up for one you missed, as doubling up is never part of how to inject Wegovy safely. If you’ve missed two weeks or more, speak to your prescriber before restarting.

Common mistakes to avoid

These are the errors we see most often from people learning how to inject Wegovy.

• Skipping the flow check on a new pen, so you can’t be sure the pen is delivering
• Letting go too early instead of counting slowly to 6 after the counter reaches 0
• Redialling when the counter doesn’t return to 0, which risks a double dose
• Reusing needles, which blunts them and raises the risk of infection and blocked needles
• Injecting the same spot every week instead of rotating
• Leaving the needle on between doses, which can let liquid leak or air in

Get these right and you’ll know exactly how to inject Wegovy with confidence every week.

Can you inject Wegovy cold?

Yes. When it comes to how to inject Wegovy, you can inject straight from the fridge, and the leaflet does not ask you to warm the pen first. Some people find a cold injection stings a little more, so it’s worth asking your pharmacist whether letting the pen sit at room temperature for a short while before injecting is fine for you.

Whatever you decide, never warm the pen with heat, such as hot water, a radiator or a microwave, and never leave it in direct sunlight. Heat can damage the medicine, just as freezing can.

If you keep an in-use pen out of the fridge, as the leaflet allows for up to 6 weeks below 30°C, it will already be at room temperature. That is one simple way to make how to inject Wegovy more comfortable week to week.

Wegovy needles explained

Needles are a big part of how to inject Wegovy comfortably. Your pack comes with NovoFine Plus needles. They are very fine (32G) and short (4mm), which is why most people feel little more than a quick scratch.

• One needle, one dose: use a new needle for every injection and never share needles or pens.
• Keep spares: if a needle bends or you drop it, use a new one rather than risk it.
• Check before use: don’t use a needle if the paper tab is damaged or missing.
• Dispose safely: used needles go straight into a sharps bin, never household rubbish, which is the last step in how to inject Wegovy safely.

If you run out of needles before your pen is finished, ask your pharmacy for more. Using the right needle is a small but important part of how to inject Wegovy safely.

Injecting for someone else

If you are helping a partner or family member, how to inject Wegovy for someone else follows exactly the same steps. The back of the upper arm is often the easiest site when someone else gives the injection.

• Wash your hands before you start.
• Talk them through each step of how to inject Wegovy so they know when the needle is going in.
• Hold the pen steady and keep pressing for the full count of 6.
• Take extra care with the used needle to avoid a needle-stick injury.

If you are a carer and unsure, ask the prescriber or pharmacist to show you how to inject Wegovy before the first dose. Many are happy to show you how to inject Wegovy using a demonstration pen.

Travelling with your pen

Wegovy is easy to travel with if you plan ahead, and how to inject Wegovy away from home is no different.

• Keep your pen in your hand luggage, never in the hold, where it could freeze.
• Carry your prescription or a letter from your prescriber.
• Use a cool bag for unopened pens on long journeys.
• Pack spare needles and a small travel sharps container.
• Keep injecting on your usual day, adjusting for time zones as needed, and follow the same steps for how to inject Wegovy as at home.

Our guide to travelling with weight-loss injections covers airport security and storage in more detail.

When to get medical help

Even when you know how to inject Wegovy well, reactions can happen. Most injection-site reactions are mild. Speak to your prescriber or pharmacist if you notice:

• Redness, swelling or pain at the injection site that gets worse rather than better
• A hard lump that doesn’t go away after a few weeks
• Signs of infection, such as heat, pus or a fever

Knowing how to inject Wegovy also means knowing when to stop and get help. Get urgent medical help if you have severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to your back, or signs of a serious allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat or difficulty breathing.

Quick-reference checklist

Use this checklist each week until how to inject Wegovy becomes second nature. Print it out or save it on your phone so you can follow how to inject Wegovy step by step.

Step	Check
Pen	Right strength, in date, liquid clear
Needle	New NovoFine Plus needle attached
Flow check	Done if this is a new pen
Dose	Counter lined up with your dose
Site	Different spot from last week
Injection	Held for a slow count of 6 after 0
Afterwards	Needle in sharps bin, pen cap back on

Getting the most from your treatment

Knowing how to inject Wegovy is only one part of the picture. Eating patterns matter too, and many people find their appetite naturally narrows on treatment. Our guide to intermittent fasting on GLP-1 covers how to do that safely. Our guide to the best diet on Wegovy explains what to eat to support your results.

If you’re confident with how to inject Wegovy and curious about what comes after semaglutide, our overview of retatrutide in 2026 explains the latest trial results. Prefer tablets to injections? Our Wegovy pill vs pen comparison explains the differences. You can also read about CagriReta, or browse the full Mymetabolism shop.