The Rules Around Sex Are Less Complicated Than You Might Think
You can give blood without a waiting period unless
Youre a man whos had sex with another man in the last three months.
Youve had sex with a partner whos injected any type of drugs within the last three months.
Youre a sex worker although you may be accepted if youve not received money or drugs for sex in the past three months.
You May Still Not Be Able To Donate Blood
Even if the tattoo process was conducted at a regulated facility with the tattoo process going well, you may still be stopped from donating blood, or forced to wait if you have some of the following conditions that affect you.
- Youve gone through surgery recently. Even dental surgery may prevent you from donating blood before a certain time, usually 3 to 6 months pass.
- Youve caught a cold or are feeling sick.
- You have Hepatitis B or C which is highly contagious and you can get it from the tattooing process.
- You have a bleeding disorder
- Men who engage in sexual activity with other males.
- You traveled to a country that has the high activity of certain disease and has gotten your tattoo there.
- You have a sexually-transmitting disease
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Why This Waiting Time For Tattooed People To Be Able To Donate Blood
This time is necessary because it may be the case that, at the time of the tattoo, the tattooed person contracts a virus and it becomes incubated. And although all blood undergoes an analysis, some viruses such as hepatitis and HIV may not be detected in the first weeks or even months of contamination.
Therefore, what can happen if the donation is made is that the virus is transmitted to the other person .
This is exactly why it is recommended to wait for that time, because during that time most of the viruses do not resist and end up dying , while others begin to show symptoms of the disease.
However, if you find this time too long to wait for permission to safely make your donation, you must choose to donate before getting your tattoo. By doing so, you will at least have helped people in their struggle for life and will feel that satisfaction.
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Your Geographic Location Matters
Some states do not regulate their tattoo shops, and that means you need to follow the three-month rule before you are able to donate. These states are:
If you get a tattoo in any other state from one of their regulated or licensed shops, you can donate immediately. If you get a tattoo from a shop that isnt on their regulated list, you have to follow the one-year waiting rule before you can make a blood donation.
What Are The Qualifications In Donating Blood
To donate blood, you must be in good general health, weigh 110 pounds or more, and not have donated blood in the last eight weeks. Additionally, you cannot be taking certain drugs, such as illegal drugs, anabolic steroids, or any prescribed medications. And if you have traveled to a country with a risk of malaria, you cannot donate blood. You also cannot donate blood for one year after traveling to countries with a chance of yellow fever.
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Can I Donate Blood After Getting A Piercing
It depends on how you get a piercing. Most blood donation centers permit people with new piercings to donate blood after 12 weeks. However, there are some exceptions. The American Red Cross requires an awaited period of one year for anyone who gets a piercing in the mouth. Other piercing-related surgeries like earlobe repair and cauliflower ear are not permitted to donate blood.
Can You Donate Blood If You Have Cancer
No, you cannot donate blood if have had cancer. This is because the risk of infection in donors with an active disease or condition may put other people they come into contact through transfusion-even loved ones-. In order for our healthcare systems efficiency to stay strong and fair across all demographics we need everyone who can give plasma/platelets etc., regardless whether their donation will go towards saving lives later down line!
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How Often Can I Donate Blood
Donating blood requires a waiting period between donations. If you donate:
- Whole blood you may donate 56 days after your last whole blood donation.
- Double Red Cells- you may donate 112 days after your last double red cell donation. Double red cell donors must meet certain weight, height, and hemoglobin requirements.
- Platelets- you may donate 7 days after your last platelet donation, with a maximum of 24 donations per year.
- Plasma- you may donate 28 days after your last plasma donation.
- 16-18-year-old males 56 or 112 days, depending on donation given
- 16-18-year-old females 112 days
Common Questions And Donation Restrictions
Age
There is no maximum age to give blood. The minimum age to donate whole blood is 15 years old. The minimum age to donate platelets and plasma is 17 years old.
Antibiotics
You can donate blood if you have completed the prescribed dose of antibiotics and no longer have any symptoms of what caused them to be prescribed.
Blood Pressure
Before donation, every potential donor has his or her blood pressure taken to ensure readings are safely within guidelines to donate. Extreme levels are 90/50 and 180/100. Below the first or above the second will defer the potential donor. And you always get a free check to know for sure!
Cancer
- If you currently have any form of cancer, you may not donate.
- If you have non-melanoma skin cancer , you may donate as soon as you are healed from the complete removal of the area involved.
- For melanoma skin cancer, you must wait 1 year from the date of treatment completion.
- If you have ever had leukemia or lymphoma you may not donate .
- All other types of cancer are acceptable IF your doctor has declared you cancer-free and your treatment is complete. Note: Females with breast cancer who are taking hormone-blocking medications are eligible, and donors who are cancer-free but have radioactive implants are also eligible.
Diabetes
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Dont Worry There Isnt A Limited Amount Of Blood In Your Body
The average adult has around 10 pints of blood in their body.
Making a donation uses about one pint, and your body works quickly to replace all the fluids and cells that have been lost. The blood youve donated is usually replenished within 24 hours.
Your body is incredible it can make around 2m new red blood cells every second, according to NHSBT.
Can People With Tattoos Or Piercings Donate Blood
There is a high number of people who have the desire to donate blood and save lives, but many of them, because they have a tattoo or piercing, live in uncertainty and end up not donating, some even don’t even consult a doctor to find out if the tattoo or piercing actually prevents you from donating blood.
If this is your case, you can be unconcerned, because throughout this article we will explain to you if, having a tattoo, you can or cannot donate blood and why. You will also know the requirements for donating blood and how to donate.
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Older Tattoos Are Fine
The old myth was that you had to wait a year after getting a tattoo before you were able to donate blood. Lets be honest: most people dont even wait a year before getting another tattoo, so how could this timeline possibly allow us to save many lives through donation?
In most states, if your tattoo was provided by a regulated shop , you can donate directly after getting your tattoo. In most other circumstances, youll need to wait at least three to four months for your tattoo to fully heal and for any potential blood-borne illnesses from the procedure to be easily identifiable in your system.
Why Should People With Tattoos Donate Blood
People with tattoos are responsible for ensuring the blood supply is safe and monitored. Currently, one of the main reasons people with tattoos donate blood is the growing number of people with diabetes.
Diabetes is often a complication in people with tattoos. These people are also not able to donate blood due to the disease. By donating blood, you contribute to the improvement of the blood supply. You are also helping others who may need blood.
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Blood Saves Lives And One Donation May Save Up To Three
In northern Colorado, someone requires a blood transfusion every 37 minutes, according to Bridget Aesoph, donor recruiter for Garth Englund Blood Donation Center.
Blood facts
Blood is composed of several important components. Plasma is the base, made of mostly water. Red blood cells pick up oxygen from the lungs and transport it via the circulatory system to every cell in the body, providing energy. Platelets help the blood clot to reduce bleeding after injury, the first step toward healing damaged tissues. Each of these blood parts can be safely transfused to patients that need them when in the hospital.
All blood donated through UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Donation Centers stays local. It helps patients at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Greeley Hospital and Estes Park Medical Center.
Blood products are not only needed for trauma patients up to 100 pints of blood products per patient but women with complications during pregnancy sometimes need a blood transfusion. Children with severe anemia and many who have complex medical or surgical procedures need blood transfusions. Cancer patients also need these products.
Can I Give Blood After Getting A Tattoo
If people are pierced in a thoroughly inspected shop, they can give blood right away. When you give blood after getting a tattoo, you may want to wait at least a week, even if you are allowed to give blood right away, as tattoos often cause low-level inflammation.Giving your body a chance to recover will ensure that your blood passes the screening procedures used to.
Yes, people who have undergone body art procedures or have body piercings can surely donate blood but only after a specific period of time and once you meet certain established regulations. As per the World Health Organization guidelines, one is eligible to donate blood only after a year of getting a tattoo.
When it comes to donating blood in the United States, there are plenty of rules and guidelines set in place to ensure that the blood is healthy and free of disease. And this left many tattooed people unable to give blood because of the stigmas around the industry. However, in 2018 times have certainly changed and there are new laws in place to.
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Why Cant You Donate Blood If You Have A New Tattoo
You may be wondering what about tattooing makes blood banks slightly concerned about the risk involved with accepting your blood. There are a few factors that influence this fear:
- Bloodborne Diseases – The risk for contracting blood-borne illnesses such as Hepatitis or HIV is heightened through the tattoo procedure. This is because it is never possible to 100% eliminate the risk of cross-contamination or bacterial issues with ink or equipment. Any procedure that requires piercing the skin and coming into contact with blood heightens the risk of these infections and the concern for blood banks.
- Detection – Blood-borne illnesses often take a significant amount of time, such as three months to a year, to show up in blood tests. Its for this reason that you often will be asked to wait after getting a new tattoo before you donate.
- Immune System Issues – The other factor that can stop you from donating blood with a tattoo is the fact that your immune system is in overdrive trying to repair your wound, and you may be experiencing inflammation or tattoo flu.
Drew Thomas Began Giving Blood When He Was In College But When He Started Getting Tattoos He Assumed He Could No Longer Give
While your tattoo may be permanent, the deferral isnt. An individual who donates blood willingly and freely, after he/she has been declared fit post a medical examination for donating blood, without accepting in return any consideration in cash or kind from any source, is considered a donor. The good news for tattooed blood donors, however, is that they can donate blood after
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Who Can Donate Blood
Blood donation is allowed for people aged between 16 and 69 years, weighing more than 50Kg.
People with recent diarrhea, flu, fever above 37°C, anemia, tooth extraction , surgeries, pregnant women and postpartum women cannot temporarily donate blood.
An important note is that for those under 18, the donation must be made with the consent of the parents.
What If I Got My Tattoo In One Of The States That Doesnt Regulate Tattoo Facilities
While your tattoo may be permanent, the deferral isnt. If your tattoo was applied in one of the 11 states that do not regulate tattoo facilities, you must wait 3 months before donating blood. This requirement is related to concerns about hepatitis. Learn more about hepatitis and blood donation.
To learn more about eligibility criteria for donating blood, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS .
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Can I Get Tattoos Removed After Donating Blood
When you donate blood, you may think about getting tattoos removed because you dont want to wait for the year to pass. However, you cannot donate blood if youve gotten tattoos removed by another person or clinic in the last eight weeks. If a blood center considers the removal procedure riskier than the tattoo, you may need to wait for more than eight weeks.
Are You Allowed To Give Blood If You Have A Tattoo
Unlike what you may have heard to try and deter you from getting tattooed, or perhaps youve not been put in the loop of the new laws and rules surrounding donation, you are more than likely allowed to donate blood – and save many lives – after getting a tattoo. Like all regulations around blood work and disease, there are a few regulations you need to follow in order to donate.
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More Information On Eligibility To Donate
National eligibility guidelines must be followed when people donate blood in the blood service in specific countries. To find out whether any health conditions, medications, professions or travel history to could affect your ability to give blood, please search for detailed information in the national/local blood services.
Are There Any States Where I Cant Give Blood After Getting Ink
Currently, the only states that DO NOT regulate tattoo facilities are Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wyoming, as well as the District of Columbia. This doesnt mean you cant give blood, just that you might have a deferral period. Potential donors should discuss their particular situation with the health historian at the time of donation through the Red Cross.
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Can Pregnant Women Donate Plasma
If you are pregnant now or have been during the past six weeks- then its a good idea to speak with your doctor before donating plasma. While most women dont experience any problems when they donate blood, there is some risk associated with this practice including infection from viruses that can carry maternal antibodies allowing them access into our workforce and making us more vulnerable than men who dont menstruate regularly .
‘can I Donate Blood If I Have A Tattoo’
When you decided to ink that magnificent hibiscus flower on your forearm, you may not have given a second thought to what the tattoo might mean for your ability to donate blood. But now that the U.S. blood supply has dropped to critically low levels , you may have felt the urge to donate only to be told by some well-meaning person that you cant give blood because of your tattoo.
Is it true that you cant donate blood if you have a tattoo?
No, it definitely is not true. People with tattoos can donate blood. In fact, blood donation centers will welcome you and your beautiful ink with open arms.
Its a myth that people with tattoos are barred from donating blood, though you may need to wait three months if you got your tattoo in one of these states, which dont regulate tattoo parlors:
- District of Columbia
The reason you may be asked to wait a few months after getting inked is to make sure you didnt pick up hepatitis along the way. Keep in mind this restriction applies to cosmetic tattoos, such as permanent eyeliner, as well as skin art. But having a tattoo, in and of itself, doesnt automatically disqualify you from ever giving blood.
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What To Know If You Want To Donate Blood After Getting Tattooed
Donating blood is charitable and people who practice that are greatly valued and respected, especially if they have a blood type that is high in demand and necessary to save life. Still, there are a few things that you need to consider if you want to donate blood after giving blood.
Below, we will list what you need to know before you donate blood after getting a tattoo.