For donating blood, all you need is good health. However, if you have tattoos, you can donate blood, but there are a few exceptions that need to be fulfilled.
According to the official WHO guidelines, If you have a tattoo within 6 months from the date of blood donation then you can’t donate blood. As for body piercing, if the inflammation has gone down and is performed by a medical professional then you can donate blood in the next 12 hours. Additionally, if you are suffering from fever, cold, flu, or any kind of infection then also you can’t donate blood.
Make sure to read the guidelines required to be eligible for blood donation. If you don’t have a minimum haemoglobin level then also you can’t donate blood.
In India, can we donate blood with Tattoos?
As per the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), anyone can’t donate blood with tattoos for the next 6 months. This is done to make sure the tattoo is completely healed and to prevent any kind of disease in the blood. There is a high chance that your blood carries any infection from the tattoo needle. So it is better to read the important instruction laid by ICMR.
Also Read: – Can wrist tattoos cause nerve damage?
How does having tattoos affect blood donation?
To put it in simpler terms, the tattoo doesn’t affect your blood donation. However, there are a few limitations to it. As mentioned above you need to wait at least 6 months from the date of your blood donation. There is a reason for you to wait, as a tattoo needle might contain some kind of infection that can be transferred into your blood making it harmful. Diseases such as HIV, and hepatitis to name a few are quite common in blood donation.
Recent tattoo increases the risk of transferring disease in your blood. Getting a tattoo requires piercing your skin thus making your blood impure with harmful bacteria and germs. That is why it is being said to get body inking from a certified tattoo artist.
Why is a person with even a small tattoo on their body not allowed to donate blood? Do the blood get affected by tattoos?
As mentioned above, you can donate blood with tattoos as long as you have passed 6-month criteria required to completely heal. Once you are fully healed, you can donate blood without affecting your blood. No, tattoos don’t affect your blood once they are fully healed.
