VEIN CARE

Injecting is the most dangerous way of administrating drugs into your body. Smoking, swallowing, snorting and shafting are far less risky methods of taking drugs and will help preserve the life of your veins (See: Alternatives to injecting fact sheet).

If you do choose to inject there are a number of basic vein care strategies that will reduce vein damage and delay the move to riskier injecting sites. Maintaining the health of your veins is essential, particularly if you intend to inject over a period of time.

Collapsed veins will never recover, however if you treat damaged veins with care it is possible for them to recover.

Vein care strategies:

• Always use a new sterile needle for every injection and never re-use equipment.
• Wash your hands with hot soapy water before injecting
• Swab you injection site, in one direction only.
• Always use a filter (wheel filters are the best).
• Avoid missed hits by injecting slowly and gently.
• Rotate injection sites.
• Use the smallest size needle available.
• Do not flush after your hit: flushing will not increase the amount of drug but will shorten the life of your veins.
• Only use a tourniquet if you experience difficulty in finding a vein. If you do use a tourniquet always release it as soon as you get the vein.

Even if you adopt these basic vein care strategies you veins will always appreciate a break. Think about using an alternative method for a while or even having a break from drugs entirely.