Can a person with tattoos donate blood? That’s a very common question among tattooed people thinking about donating blood for the first time. It is true blood donation has restrictions, but you will be glad to know that having a tattoo is not one of them. However, after getting a tattoo, you must wait three months before donating blood. The purpose of this regulation is to protect patients receiving donated blood because the introduction of a foreign item, such as ink through needles, into your body involves a danger of blood-borne infection. 

The rule is a sensible one despite the fact that the majority of tattoo and piercing procedures are safe, and the same rule applies to microblading and body piercings as well. Healthcare experts can be confident that patients receiving donated blood are not exposed to risks of infection by implementing this three-month delay period.  

Who can Donate Blood?

Most healthy individuals including tattoo people can donate blood. But, a person must meet certain prerequisites in order to be eligible for the blood donation process, so take a look at the rules: 

• Age - You must be in the age range of 18 to 65 and meet the necessary physical and hematological requirements. Are you wondering at what age can a person with tattoos donate blood? It is the same age range for people with tattoos for blood donation. 
• Weight - You must have a minimum weight of 50 kilograms.   
• Health - When you donate blood, your health must be in good condition, and donating is not permitted if you have a stomach illness, cold, flu, sore throat, or any other common ailment. You have to wait 24 hours after a minor dental operation to donate, but for serious dental work, you have to wait a month. Donating blood is not permitted in the event that your hemoglobin level is too low. At the blood donation place, usually, a test will be given for this, and a hemoglobin level of at least 12.0 g/dl for females and 13.0 g/dl for males is the threshold. 

Are there More than One Type of Blood Donation? 

Chances are you have asked yourself the question, can you donate blood after a tattoo, if you, in fact, have a tattoo, but have you ever wondered how many types of blood donation are available? Let us give you the simple answer. Among the primary categories of donation are blood, plasma, and platelets. 

Blood - Blood includes platelets, red and white blood cells, plasma, antibodies, and all the other substances.

Plasma - During the donation process, the red blood cells are cycled back to the donor after the plasma is separated from the other components using a specialized machine.

Platelets - Similar to plasma donation, platelets (also known as plateletpheresis) involve returning the red blood cells and plasma to the donor.

Can a person with tattoos donate blood, plasma, and platelets? Yes, one can donate all three! However, there are two other types of donations you should know about. 

Autologous - A person donates their own blood for personal use before a planned procedure or transfusion.

Directed or designated donation - Donors have the option to specify or direct their blood to be utilized for a particular recipient.

Donations that are directed and autologous are currently uncommon and only happen in certain medical situations, but the rules are the same. So no more worrying about can you donate blood after a tattoo for directed and autologous donations! 

Blood Donation Ineligibilities 

Now that you know the answer to can you donate blood after a tattoo, check out which diseases or issues can stop you from donating blood. 

1. Permanent ineligibility

Hepatitis B and C are among the illnesses that prevent you from blood donation forever. HIV/AIDS, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Ebola virus, jaundice, and sickle cell disease also prevent you from donating blood indefinitely. Sometimes, donations from individuals who have treated their diabetes with bovine insulin are not accepted. 

2. Temporary ineligibility

• Blood transfusion - After a three-month waiting period, you can donate blood again. 
• Bleeding conditions - If you don't use blood thinners and don't have any problems with blood clotting, you could become able to donate blood.
• Cancer - Depending on the type of cancer you have, your eligibility will vary, so consult your physician before giving blood.
• Dental surgery - Three days after surgery, you will be qualified for blood donation.
• Heart attack or heart surgery - Following any of these occurrences, you are disqualified for at least six months.
• Vaccinations - There are differences in immunization regulations when it comes to blood donation. After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the hepatitis B vaccine, and the smallpox vaccine, you become eligible after 21 days, but following the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), chickenpox, and shingles vaccinations, you become eligible after four weeks. 
• Infections - After your course of antibiotics has ended, you could be eligible ten days later.
• Blood pressure that is high or low - If your blood pressure reading is 90/50 mm Hg or more than 180/100 mm Hg, you are not eligible. 
• Pregnancy - While you are pregnant, you are not eligible; however, six weeks after giving birth, you become eligible. 
• Intravenous (IV) drug use - Donating blood should be postponed for three months if you have taken IV medications without a prescription.
• Malaria - Three years following your last malaria treatment or three months following a trip to an area where malaria is prevalent.  
• Zika virus - 120 days after the last time you had Zika-related symptoms, you become qualified.
• Syphilis and gonorrhea - Three months following the end of your treatment for these STIs, you could be qualified. 

Things to Know about Blood Donation 

One thing you should always remember is that donating blood should be done at least eight weeks following the last donation. Consume a diet high in iron-rich foods including spinach, red meat, and beans in the days before your blood donation appointment, but steer clear of a heavy lunch just before the donation.

Following a donation, you must have extra fluids (at least 32 ounces more than normal) throughout the whole day. For the following 24 hours, abstain from alcohol and put off any intense exercise or physical activity until you get your strength back. Tattoo people can donate blood anytime, but these safety guards are for the protection of every donor so keep that in mind.  

Final Remarks 

If you are a tattoo lover, got yourself inked a few times, but now wondering if tattoo people can donate blood, don’t worry, you can! Just wait three months after receiving a tattoo so that any chances of infection can be eliminated. However, if you have other health concerns, or are not sure if you are eligible for blood donation, talk to a physician before donating.