Health and Me

Ishita Roy

How Long After a Tattoo or Piercing Can I Donate Blood?

How long should i wait before donating blood?

Are you that kind of person who celebrates milestones of your life with getting a tattoo? These milestones could be anything, including the things you achieved, or the things you could not achieve but taught you a lesson. If you are this person, then you must have wondered if you can donate <span>blood</span> with all the tattoos on your body? There are lots of rumors on how can one donate blood, or if at all they are allowed to donate blood. So let's get into its nitty gritty!

As per American Red Cross, in most states, a tattoo is acceptable if the tattoo was applied by a state-regulated entity. Which means the tattoo artist must be licensed and must practice following all the guidelines, using sterile needles and ink that is not reused. The same is the guideline for cosmetic tattoos, which includes microblading of eyebrows. If it is done by a licensed artist in a regulated state, then it is acceptable. 

However, if you got your tattoo in a state that does not regulate tattoo facilities, you must wait three months after it was applied. 

<h4>The states that do not regulate tattoo facilities are:</h4>

<ul><li>Arizona</li><li>District of Columbia</li><li>Georgia</li><li>Idaho</li><li>Maryland</li><li>Massachusetts</li><li>Nevada</li><li>New Hampshire</li><li>New York</li><li>Pennsylvania</li><li>Utah</li><li>Wyoming</li></ul>

Similar is the case with body piercings. It has to be done following the regulation, here the key is that the instrument used has to be a single-use equipment and disposable. Which means if you are getting it by a gun, or an earring cassette, they have to be disposable. In case you got your piercing with a reusable gun or a reusable instrument, you will be required to wait for three months. 

The reason behind the wait time is associated with the concerns of hepatitis, which could be easily transmitted from donors to patients through transfusion. All blood donations are thus tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, with several tests. However, not always are these tests are perfect, thus the three-month period is given.

Donating blood after getting a tattoo can be dangerous as unclean tattoo needle could carry bloodborne viruses, which are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated its guideline, making the wait time shorter from one year to three months. This is because if you contract a bloodborne illness, it could be detectable within the period of 3 months. 

<h4>What else makes you ineligible to donate blood?</h4>

There are other reasons why you may not be allowed to donate blood. As per the American Red Cross, you are not allowed to donate blood if you have

<ul><li>hepatitis B or C</li><li>HIV</li><li>Chagas disease, which is a parasitic infection that kissing bugs cause</li><li>leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection that sand flies cause</li><li>Cruetzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare disorder that leads to mental deterioration</li><li>Ebola virus</li><li>hemochromatosis, which means extreme build up of iron</li><li>hemophilia</li><li>jaundice</li><li>sickle cell disease</li></ul>

As per the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blood Bank, these conditions make you permanently ineligible from donating blood. 

While there are certain conditions that makes your permanently ineligible, there are other conditions that makes you temporarily ineligible from donating blood. These include:

<ul><li>If you have a bleeding condition, and have issues with your blood clotting</li><li>If you have received transfusion from a person </li><li>If you have cancer. Here, the eligibility depend son the type of cancer you have</li><li>If you have recently underwent a dental or oral surgery. In such a case, you would have to wait for three days</li><li>If you had a recent heart attack, heart surgery or angina. You must wait for 6 months</li><li>If you are pregnant, you can only donate blood after 6 months after delivering your child</li></ul>

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Are you that kind of person who celebrates milestones of your life with getting a tattoo? These milestones could be anything, including the things you achieved, or the things you could not achieve but taught you a lesson. If you are this person, then you must have wondered if you can donate blood with all the tattoos on your body? There are lots of rumors on how can one donate blood, or if at all they are allowed to donate blood. So let's get into its nitty gritty!As per American Red Cross, in most states, a tattoo is acceptable if the tattoo was applied by a state-regulated entity. Which means the tattoo artist must be licensed and must practice following all the guidelines, using sterile needles and ink that is not reused. The same is the guideline for cosmetic tattoos, which includes microblading of eyebrows. If it is done by a licensed artist in a regulated state, then it is acceptable. However, if you got your tattoo in a state that does not regulate tattoo facilities, you must wait three months after it was applied. The states that do not regulate tattoo facilities are:ArizonaDistrict of ColumbiaGeorgiaIdahoMarylandMassachusettsNevadaNew HampshireNew YorkPennsylvaniaUtahWyomingBody PiercingSimilar is the case with body piercings. It has to be done following the regulation, here the key is that the instrument used has to be a single-use equipment and disposable. Which means if you are getting it by a gun, or an earring cassette, they have to be disposable. In case you got your piercing with a reusable gun or a reusable instrument, you will be required to wait for three months. Three-Month Wait PeriodThe reason behind the wait time is associated with the concerns of hepatitis, which could be easily transmitted from donors to patients through transfusion. All blood donations are thus tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, with several tests. However, not always are these tests are perfect, thus the three-month period is given.What Dangers Loom Over?Donating blood after getting a tattoo can be dangerous as unclean tattoo needle could carry bloodborne viruses, which are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated its guideline, making the wait time shorter from one year to three months. This is because if you contract a bloodborne illness, it could be detectable within the period of 3 months. What else makes you ineligible to donate blood?There are other reasons why you may not be allowed to donate blood. As per the American Red Cross, you are not allowed to donate blood if you havehepatitis B or CHIVChagas disease, which is a parasitic infection that kissing bugs causeleishmaniasis, a parasitic infection that sand flies causeCruetzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare disorder that leads to mental deteriorationEbola virushemochromatosis, which means extreme build up of ironhemophiliajaundicesickle cell diseaseAs per the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blood Bank, these conditions make you permanently ineligible from donating blood. While there are certain conditions that makes your permanently ineligible, there are other conditions that makes you temporarily ineligible from donating blood. These include:If you have a bleeding condition, and have issues with your blood clottingIf you have received transfusion from a person If you have cancer. Here, the eligibility depend son the type of cancer you haveIf you have recently underwent a dental or oral surgery. In such a case, you would have to wait for three daysIf you had a recent heart attack, heart surgery or angina. You must wait for 6 monthsIf you are pregnant, you can only donate blood after 6 months after delivering your child