How to Inject Skyrizi (Plus 5 More Pharmacist-Backed Tips)

Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa) is an injectable medication that treats inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis in adults. You’ll often receive your first few doses from a healthcare professional as either an injection under the skin or an infusion into a vein. But after that, you can give the injections to yourself at home. Your prescriber will make sure you’ve been trained before this happens, but it’s common to have trouble remembering all the steps once you’re at home on your own.

Here, we’ll review the step-by-step instructions for how to inject Syrizi safely at home. And we’ll give you some travel and storage tips as well.

1. Where to inject Skyrizi

You can inject Skyrizi yourself in two places: the front of your thighs or your stomach. Either location is fine, but stomach injections seem to be less painful for most people. If you’re injecting into your stomach, you’ll want to stay at least 2 inches away from your belly button.

In general, it’s best to avoid injecting into skin that’s bruised or broken as well as any area that clothing may rub against. This helps lessen the change of irritation at the injection site. You should also avoid injecting Skyrizi into the same location each time. Be sure to rotate where you inject Skyrizi with each dose.

Good to know: If someone else is injecting your Skyrizi dose, they can also use your upper outer arm as an injection site. But you can’t inject into this area safely on your own because of the angle.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Skyrizi side effects: Learn what to expect — and what to look out for — while you’re using Skyrizi.

• Skyrizi dosages: Here’s a review of the approved Skyrizi dosages and how often you’ll need an injection.

• How does Skyrizi make you feel? These first-hand accounts from people using Skyrizi for inflammatory bowel disease can help you know what to expect.

2. How to inject Skyrizi

You’ll inject Skyrizi under the skin (subcutaneously) when you give it at home. It comes in a prefilled syringe, a prefilled injection pen, or an on-body injector. All forms of Skyrizi are given as a single dose, so you’ll use them once then throw them away (in a sharps container). 

Which dosage form you use depends on what condition Skyrizi is treating. For example, the on-body injector only contains the Skyrizi dosage recommended for Crohn’s disease.

Getting started

Remove your dose from the fridge and let it come to room temperature before injecting it. The prefilled syringe takes 15 to 30 minutes to warm up. Injection pens take 30 to 90 minutes, and the on-body injector takes 45 to 90 minutes. Don’t let your dose sit out for longer than recommended. Be sure to keep your dose in the original carton while it comes to room temperature. Do not try to warm it up faster by putting it in the microwave or using hot water.

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Find a clean workspace, and gather your alcohol wipes, Skyrizi dose, and a sharps container. A cotton ball and bandage are also good to have on hand.

You’ll need to inspect your device and medication before injecting it, but be careful not to remove any caps or press any buttons. First, check to make sure the expiration date hasn’t passed. Then make sure the liquid inside your device is clear to slightly yellow and doesn’t have any large particles floating in it. You’ll also want to make sure it isn’t frozen. It’s normal to see a few bubbles, but it shouldn’t be foamy. If any of these items are an issue, don’t inject your dose. Get a new dose from the fridge or contact your pharmacy for next steps. You can also contact the Skyrizi manufacturer directly for help.

Use antibacterial soap to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, then pat them dry with a clean towel. Then clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe using a circular motion and allow the skin to dry.

Injecting your dose

The injection process will differ based on your prescribed dosage form.

Prefilled syringe

Pull the needle cap off to expose the needle, and be careful not to touch it. Pinch an area of cleaned skin and insert the needle at a 45-degree angle with a quick, dart-like motion. Push the blue plunger down slowly until the syringe is empty, then pull the needle out of your skin. Once the needle is out, release the plunger to activate the needle guard.

Sometimes, you’ll need to inject multiple syringes to get your full dose. In this case, the injections should be given one right after the other. Just be sure to choose a different location for the second dose.

Injection pen

Gently pull the gray cap off the end of the pen and throw it away. This will expose the white needle cover. Pinch an area of cleaned skin and firmly press the white needle cover against it at a 90-degree angle. Press the green activator button to start your dose. You’ll likely hear a click when this occurs. Keep the pen firmly against your skin until you hear a second click or the yellow indicator has filled the window of the pen. This takes about 15 seconds. After the injection is finished, pull up on the pen to remove the needle from your skin. You’ll hear a third click as the white needle sleeve covers the needle.

On-body injector

Remove the medication cartridge from the plastic tray. Wipe the small end of the cartridge (including the center) with an alcohol swab. Insert the cartridge small-end down into the injector. Push down until you hear a click. Then close the gray door on the injector — you should feel it snap shut securely. You must use the on-body injector within 5 minutes of placing the cartridge inside it.

Next, turn the injector over and use the green pull tabs to expose the adhesive and activate the device. Be sure to remove both the large and small sections. At this point, the light on the front should flash blue. This means it’s ready to inject.

Place the on-body injector on clean skin. If you’re injecting into your stomach, pull the skin tight and sit up straight to create a flat surface to stick the device to. Once the device is on, you shouldn’t move it to a new location. 

Make sure the light is still blue. Then, press the gray button on the device until you hear it click. The light should start flashing green, and you may feel a pinch as the needle comes out. Once the dose is complete, the device will beep and the green light will stop flashing. This takes about 5 minutes or so. It’s fine to walk around or bend over while the injector is working.

When the injection is done, grab a corner of the adhesive to peel the injector off your skin. Don’t touch the back of the injector. It’s normal to see a few small drops of liquid on your skin after you remove it. Check the front of the injector to make sure the white plunger fills the medicine window and the green light is off. This is how you can confirm you’ve gotten your full dose.

At any point during this process, if you see a red light or the device isn’t working properly, gently remove it from your skin and call the Skyrizi helpline at (866) 759-7494.

Good to know: You should keep electronics, including cell phones, at least 12 inches away from the on-body injector. They may interfere with how it works.

Final steps

You can apply pressure with a cotton ball to the injection site if needed. But don’t rub or massage the area. A small amount of bleeding is normal. Apply a bandage if needed.

Once your dose is complete, dispose of the whole device into a sharps container. You don’t need to put the cap back on or take the cartridge out of the on-body injector. Just place the used device directly into your sharps container.

3. How to reduce pain when injecting Skyrizi

Skyrizi Injections are usually well tolerated, but injection-site reactions are possible. Here are some ways to help lessen discomfort:

• Allow your Skyrizi dose to come to room temperature before injecting it, as cold injections tend to hurt more.

• Use ice or a cold pack to numb the injection site before the injection.

• Be sure to rotate injection sites.

• Don’t inject into skin that’s bruised, broken, or irritated.

• Slow down how fast you push in the plunger if you’re using a prefilled syringe.

• Ask about other dosage forms you can try to see if they reduce injection pain.

If your Skyrizi injections are still painful, talk with your healthcare team. They can make sure you’re injecting it correctly and make any changes if needed.

4. Store Skyrizi in the refrigerator

You should keep Skyrizi in your refrigerator until you’re ready for your next dose. Avoid storing it in the door of the fridge or in an area where it could freeze. You shouldn’t use Skyrizi if it freezes, even after it thaws.

Unlike some other injectable medications, Skyrizi can’t be kept at room temperature for an extended period of time. So be sure it goes directly into the fridge when it arrives at your home.

Remember: Allowing Skyrizi to warm up at room temperature is OK and recommended before giving your dose. But don’t wait longer than the maximum recommended time before injecting it. That’s 30 minutes for the prefilled syringe and 90 minutes for the injection pen and on-body injector. Set an alarm for yourself when you take it out of the fridge so you don’t forget.

5. How to store Skyrizi when traveling

If you’re traveling when your Skryizi dose is due, you must keep it cold. This can be done by packing your dose in a cooler with ice packs. Keep your dose in the original box, and wrap it in a towel or bubble wrap so it won’t freeze or get wet. Make sure to switch out the ice packs as they thaw during your travels, if needed. Once you reach your destination, put Skyrizi directly into the fridge.

It’s best to keep your medication in your personal item or carry-on if you’re flying. That way it won’t get lost and you’ll have better control of the temperature. Don’t forget to pack your injection supplies, too. And be sure to check the Transportation Security Administration’s website for the latest on traveling with medications. 

6. What to do if you miss a dose of Skyrizi

You’ll only inject Skyrizi every 8 or 12 weeks (2 to 3 months). So it can be hard to remember when your next dose is due. Medication reminder apps or calendar alerts can help. But if you miss your injection day, check with your healthcare team about the best way to proceed.

You might also get sidetracked after taking your dose from the fridge to warm up, and leave it out for longer than what’s recommended. This is a common scenario and can happen to anyone. If you leave your dose out of the fridge for too long, don’t inject the dose. Contact your pharmacy or the Skyrizi helpline. They can let you know if it’s safe to use or if you need a fresh dose.

How to save on your Skyrizi prescription

There are ways to save on Skyrizi, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between patient assistance programs and copay savings cards to save money on your prescription.

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $5 per dose of Skyrizi using a savings card from the manufacturer.

• Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Skyrizi’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Emilie White, PharmD

Emilie White is a clinical pharmacist with over a decade of hospital pharmacy experience. Her professional areas of interest include critical care as well as infectious and autoimmune diseases.

Edited by:

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.

Reviewed by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

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