649
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] jordanlund@lemmy.world 227 points 6 days ago

Also why you don't re-use needles:

[-] LodeMike@lemmy.today 171 points 6 days ago

That's not the main reason why we don't reuse needles.

[-] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 71 points 6 days ago

One of the many

[-] plantfanatic@sh.itjust.works 37 points 6 days ago

For even into the same patient…

[-] HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 20 points 6 days ago

Pfft I reckon we can reuse it once from that pic

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago
[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 5 days ago

Insulin needles are used in this way, because they're usually permanently attached to their syringe. Rather than using a drawing needle then an injection needle.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago

Oh does insulin have a thick rubber stopper? I'm a lemmy stereotype and so my only experience with injections is estrogen

[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 5 days ago

Uhm... same! So I couldn't tell you. I do have a friend that's type 1, but she uses an insulin pump these days.

[-] Noodle07@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

I'm a lemmy stereotype and so my only experience with injections is estrogen

This is peak Lemmy right there lmao

[-] burntbacon@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 5 days ago

Aye, and besides drug users on the streets, that's who the top picture was actually for. I can't recall how many of those signs I've seen when I was picking up needles with my insulin. I also know my uncle reused his up to 10 times or so. Worst I've ever gone was like 5-6. It's actually quite difficult to get needles when you're not at home and forget some (and they're annoyingly easy to forget).

[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 5 days ago

Wait, what? I meant reused as in the vial and my body...

[-] burntbacon@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Yes, I get that. So what I was saying, in a continuation of your comment on insulin needles being used that way, was that the top picture here, showing what needles looked like after multiple times of use, was most often displayed near pharmacies, where insulin and needles were dispensed to diabetics. I saw them there more than I ever saw them in anti-drug areas/campaigns. I was further adding in the perspective that there was a good reason for doing that, as diabetics (and probably other users of injected drugs) were most definitely reusing needles, as evidenced by the stories from my uncle and my own experience.

[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 5 days ago

That's honestly a bit terrifying...

[-] DaGeek247@fedia.io 136 points 6 days ago

It's a little misleading in that the last photo is zoomed in a lot more than the previous ones. This one has that without the extra zoom in.

[-] bluesheep@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

Comparing the pictures it looks like the exact same set of photos except like you said, more zoomed in.

[-] jaybone@lemmy.zip 3 points 6 days ago

Could they be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol or an autoclave?

[-] CXORA@aussie.zone 50 points 6 days ago

It's less about the dirt than the tip deforming.

When the needle is less pointy, it'll hurt more.

[-] MonkeMischief@lemmy.today 21 points 5 days ago

Not only that but look how it forms a freaking fishing hook on the end like a barb. Yikes!!!

[-] reddit_sux@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago

Autoclave will deform the needle even more. The edge of the tip is made from softer steel so that it is sharper while at the same time more deformable.

[-] Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de 17 points 5 days ago

Assumably also for manufacturing and safety reasons. You don't want the tip of a needle to shatter inside you, softer steel won't do that. And it's a little bit easier to manufacture with softer steel as well.

[-] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 8 points 5 days ago

Needles were autoclaved and re-used once upon a time, so it should be possible. But disposable needles are probably made of softer material than reusable ones.

[-] reddit_sux@lemmy.world 11 points 5 days ago

Those were made up harder steel which can't be sharpened to the degree softer steel can be. Harder steel shatters if sharpened since harder it is brittle it becomes.

So reusable needle are blunt, so injections are painful. And as mentioned by @Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de they used to shatter inside the body after a few cycles of autoclaving.

[-] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 28 points 6 days ago

Wow, I did not expect that.

[-] leds@feddit.dk 1 points 3 days ago

So when nurse misses a vein and want to try again you should ask them to uae a new needle?

[-] jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

For good procedure, yes.

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 21 points 6 days ago

Can we see the skin after that sixth use?

this post was submitted on 09 Aug 2025
649 points (95.6% liked)

Science Memes

16250 readers
2745 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS