How to Pin Steroids
Last updated: June 4, 2026
TL;DR
Most steroid injections are intramuscular (IM) into the glute, quad, or delt, using a 23-25 gauge 1-1.5 inch needle. Draw the oil with an 18-20 gauge needle, swap to a fresh pin for injecting, aspirate, push slow (1 mL per 30 seconds), and rotate sites weekly. Subcutaneous (SubQ) injection works for some compounds with a slin pin in the belly or thigh fat. Never reuse needles, never inject cold oil, never go past 2 mL per site.
IM or SubQ – which one are you doing?
Most oil-based steroids (testosterone, nandrolone, trenbolone, masteron) are designed for intramuscular injection. The muscle absorbs the oil slowly and the depot releases hormone over days. Some compounds and most peptides (HCG, GLP-1s, growth peptides) work fine subcutaneously into belly or thigh fat. SubQ is easier and less painful but absorbs slightly faster. Check the product before choosing.
What gauge and length should you use?
For drawing the oil: 18-20 gauge, 1.5 inch. The wider bore moves thick oil fast. For injecting: switch to a 23 or 25 gauge, 1 to 1.5 inch. The narrower bore hurts less going in. Slin pins (29-31 gauge, 0.5 inch) are for SubQ only – they cannot reach muscle on most people.
- Glute: 1.5 inch, 23-25 gauge
- Quad (vastus lateralis): 1 inch, 25 gauge
- Delt (lateral head): 1 inch, 25 gauge – max 1 mL per delt
- SubQ belly/thigh: 29-31 gauge slin pin
How do you actually pin?
The full sequence:
- Wash hands, clean the vial top and injection site with alcohol pad
- Attach draw pin to a 3 mL syringe, invert the vial, draw your dose plus a small air bubble
- Tap to bring air to the top, push it out, draw 0.1 mL extra air to clear the new pin later
- Swap to a fresh injection pin
- Pull skin taut, dart in 90 degrees (IM) or 45 degrees pinching skin (SubQ)
- Aspirate by pulling the plunger back 1-2 seconds – if blood appears, withdraw and use a fresh pin in a new spot
- Push slow – 1 mL takes about 30 seconds
- Withdraw, press a clean cotton ball for 30 seconds, do not massage hard
Where is the safest glute site?
The dorsogluteal site – upper outer quadrant of the buttock. Imagine dividing one cheek into four equal quarters. Inject into the upper outer quarter only. This avoids the sciatic nerve and the superior gluteal artery. The ventrogluteal site (hip pocket between iliac crest and greater trochanter) is even safer and used by clinicians, but harder to reach solo.
What about aspirating – is it still needed?
The pharma industry moved away from aspiration for vaccines because the risk of hitting a vessel in the deltoid is near zero with vaccine volumes. For 1-2 mL of oil-based steroid into the glute or quad, aspiration still has value – hitting a small vessel and pushing oil into circulation can cause coughing fits and chest tightness (PIP-cough or tren cough). Two seconds of pulling back costs nothing and avoids the issue.
How often do you rotate sites?
Never hit the same site twice in a week. A standard rotation on twice-weekly injections looks like Monday right glute, Thursday left glute, next Monday right quad, next Thursday left quad. Scar tissue builds up at repeatedly used sites and absorption slows or becomes unreliable. Daily injectors (suspension, propionate) should use 4-6 sites in rotation.
Why does the oil hurt going in?
Cold oil hurts more than warm oil because it is more viscous. Warm the syringe in a clenched fist or under running warm water for 60 seconds before injecting. Some carrier oils (cottonseed, sesame) burn more than others (grapeseed, MCT). High BA or BB concentration ratios also crank up post-injection pain – look for products in the 1-2% BA / 12-15% BB range.
How much oil can one site take?
Two mL is the practical ceiling for delt or quad without major discomfort. Glutes can take 3 mL but only if the muscle is large and the oil is gentle. Splitting larger doses across two sites is always safer than forcing one big shot. A common pro-level move: split a 3 mL test E + deca shot between left and right glute, 1.5 mL each.
What if you hit a nerve?
Sharp electrical pain shooting down the leg means you grazed or hit the sciatic nerve. Pull the needle out immediately, do not push the dose. Most nerve contacts cause temporary numbness or tingling for hours to days. If symptoms persist past 48 hours or you lose motor function, see a doctor. Re-injecting after a nerve hit means moving 2 inches away from the spot.
What if you get post-injection pain?
Mild PIP for 24-72 hours is normal with new compounds. Severe swelling, redness spreading past the injection site, fever, or a hot lump after 5 days are infection signs – get antibiotics. A non-infected sterile abscess sometimes forms with high-BA gear and resolves with warm compresses and time. Never lance an abscess yourself.
Can you reuse needles?
No. The barb on a used needle doubles after the first stick and the bevel is dulled. Reused pins cause more bleeding, more scarring, and far more infection risk. Pins cost cents – every injection gets a fresh draw pin and a fresh inject pin. Our buying guides cover what supplies to keep stocked alongside compounds.
What about peptides and HGH?
Reconstituted peptides and HGH go SubQ with a slin pin. Insulin syringes (29-31 gauge, 0.5 inch) into pinched belly fat 1-2 inches from the navel. Same hygiene rules apply, same site rotation, but the smaller pin and lower volume make the technique much simpler. See our fake HGH guide before opening any new kit.
Sources
- Owen R, et al. Intramuscular injection technique and clinical implications. J Adv Nurs, 2015.
- Greenway K. Using the ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injection. Nurs Stand, 2014.
- BNF Drug Administration Guidelines, 2024 edition.
- WHO Best Practices for Injection Safety – official guideline.
