How can I avoid getting an infection?

n addition to risks carried by needles and other heroin injection equipment, the way a person injects heroin can make them more vulnerable to infection or disease.

Avoid these risk factors:

• Skin bacteria: Harmful bacteria on the skin may enter a person’s body or bloodstream through the injection site, leading to infection. Wash your hands!
• An unclean injection site: Failing to clean the injection site properly or licking the skin to clean the site can increase the risk of infectioncausing bacteria or other microorganisms entering the injection site. Cleaning the skin prior to injection, such as with alcohol wipes, can reduce the threat of infection.
• Injecting into a wound: When overcome by intense cravings, some people may inject into an open wound. This could carry bacteria into the body and cause further harm to a wound that is already battling an infection.
• Changing the route of injection due to damaged veins: People who are struggling to inject heroin into their veins due to scarring or collapsed veins may switch to intramuscular injection or skin popping.