Can’t we really donate blood when we get a tattoo?
In: Biology
You can, but the risk of you having an infection if you had a tattoo done recently is just too high, so it’s better to wait for a while.
From a good tattoo studio the risk of infection is very low.
But since they cannot verify where you got your ink they’ll err on the side of safety to avoid issues.
I’m two classes away from my master of public health and that sounds like cross contamination and nice risk of infection.
Pass.
When it comes to donating blood, I say we make an insurance incentive to donate to encourage more and prompt donations.
It depends on the blood bank. Tattoos can spread blood borne diseases. This is why it is so important to sterilise the equipment and use fresh needles. But this was not done in the past and may still not be done properly in cheap tattoo parlours. During the HIV epidemic most people heard about the gay community spreading the disease but this was just as big of a problem among people with tattoos. In order to contain the spread of HIV a lot of blood banks therefore implemented rules against gays and people with tattoos. And a lot of these rules are still in place to this day. However they are being lifted so this does not apply to all blood banks. And some have various criteria for people with tattoos such as not having gotten any recent tattoos or having gotten it at a properly certified parlour.
Only for 4 months, then you’re allowed again! I plan mine so that I donate then get a tattoo, wait the 4 months, donate again repeat! (England, UK)
Rules will vary based on the blood bank you’re working with, often informed by local tattoo health guidelines. In Oregon there was no deferral through Red Cross when I was there, but in NY it was quite lengthy.
This is, as mentioned, risk mitigation to reduce (mainly HCV) transmission, especially as it is possible to transmit before seroconversion (testing positive)
Me: heavily tatted med lab tech and blood donor
Currently, tattoos done in some states require a three-month deferral period due to state regulations and the risk of blood-borne infections that can be passed to others. Other states have no deferral period because of stricter regulations on tattoo shops. You still might want to wait until your tattoo heals up a bit because (I was told that) your plasma will help the color heal well. Generally speaking, if your tattoo was done with sterile, single-use equipment and new ink, you shouldn’t be at risk of an infection. However, since donated blood products are going to people who are sick or critically injured, any risk of contamination or infection isn’t acceptable.
Here’s additional info from a major donation center about eligibility requirements: https://www.vitalant.org/eligibility/additional-eligibility-requirements
Some states don’t require tattoo artists to be licensed so any ole Joe Schmoo can open a tattoo shop and it isn’t overseen by any health entity. Washington and Oregon (maybe others) require a licensing process that involves health and safety regulations, because of that in those states you can donate blood after a tattoo.
You can, at least where I live.
I’d not recommend right after getting a tattoo though, better wait a few weeks and see that it starts to heal properly and the worst infection risk is over with.
Which country are we talking about? Because in Germany it’s perfectly legal as long as you waited for four months
The reason is that there could be infections or inflammation that are not always visible
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