Does getting a tatoo make it harder to give blood?

[Faithr]

I recently gave blood after a long time of not giving blood (I have been struggling with anemia all my life but menopause cured me!!!!). On the form I had to fill out there were several questions about tattoos and when and where one procured them. I have never been a fan of tattoos (maybe my age is showing???) but I find them repulsive. I think natural skin is much more attractive, but anyway, it never occurred to me that tattoos might make one ineligible for giving blood. If so, it seems to me to be a strong argument against them. I have 0- and I am glad I can finally give blood again. I've given blood in the past to my father and grandmother who really needed blood due to emergency operations and such.

 

So what is the deal with tattoos and giving blood?

[sparrow]

Me, and my repulsive tattoo, give blood regularly :D. There may be a wait for up to a year, or none at all:

 

http://www1.givebloodgivelife.org/donors/common/

 

Really, no offense taken. I love my tattoo. I got it about 15 years ago and it's 6 abstract lines that look like a cat.

[Rhonda in TX]

I would bet some countries don't have the safety requirements (clean needles, etc) that we do in the US.

[Ohdanigirl]

In Mexico you can't at all. I have noticed that in general though they are a bit uninformed about some things. It may be because tattoos are just beginning to get more main stream here though, and also because rues aren't followed as strictly here even in licensed shops.:glare: Scary.

 

Danielle

[Renthead Mommy]

My repulsive tattoo and I ran the blood drives for our med group spouse club while we were in Okinawa.

 

You do need to wait 12 months from the time you get a tattoo. The location issue is what country were you in when you got the tattoo. Some countries do make you inelegible to donate ever. But so do some travel.

 

A bigger issue for our group wasn't tattoos making people inelegible, but people having been stationed in the UK during the mad cow years.

[Crissy]

I have never been a fan of tattoos (maybe my age is showing???) but I find them repulsive.

 

Is that a typo, Faith?

 

You're not a fan, but you *don't* find them repulsive?

 

That's how I read it the first time, but the other comments made me realize I inserted a word where there wasn't one.

 

 

ETA: I don't know if all donation centers are the same, but the one where I regularly donate requires a 12 month wait after a tattoo.

Edited April 19, 2010 by Crissy
Actually answering the question

[jld]

Dh lived in England during the mad cow years, and cannot give blood in the U.S. He can only give plasma in France. Here in India he has not faced any restrictions on donating, lol!

[Tangerine]

I love these threads that just toss out that tattoos are repulsive to them. Can you imagine if I started a thread talking about how lovely natural hair is, and how repulsed I am by people who color their hair. :lol: Sheesh.

[Nakia]

I love these threads that just toss out that tattoos are repulsive to them. Can you imagine if I started a thread talking about how lovely natural hair is, and how repulsed I am by people who color their hair. :lol: Sheesh.

 

:iagree::glare::001_huh::boxing_smiley::svengo:

 

 

Nakia, who is going next week for her second repulsive tattoo...

[Tangerine]

Dh lived in England during the mad cow years, and cannot give blood in the U.S. He can only give plasma in France. Here in India he has not faced any restrictions on donating, lol!

 

Wow. I had no idea! Is that on the questionnaire when you give blood? I don't remember that.

[jld]

I just called dh to ask, and he said yes, ten years ago when he last went to give blood in the U.S., it was on there, and his truthful answer disqualified him from donating.

[Renthead Mommy]

Wow. I had no idea! Is that on the questionnaire when you give blood? I don't remember that.

 

For our drives, you had to list every country you were stationed, lived, visited/vacationed, even had temporty duty and roughly how long you were there and which years. For some active duty, even some spouses, that can become a VERY long list! LOL!

 

The Navy did all the island blood drives. They handed out a form you could fill out with all the locations. But I can't remember if it was a take home, keep and bring back thing, or if it was entered into their system for future reference. I know they had some info in their system permanetly. But it was only for their system, it wouldn't follow you to another base.

[elise1mds]

Yeah, there have been times when I have been unable to donate due to my duo of tattoos. And I'm planning to go in for my third (and maybe my fourth!) sometime this year. Plus DH has finally figured out what he wants, too.

 

I've heared talk, though, of lifting the restrictions on tattoos because of the shortage of blood donors. I guess they figure they'll get more people in with tattoos because clearly we don't have a fear of needles ;)

[NanceXToo]

Well, my husband is a tattoo artist and body piercer who owns his own shop here in PA and I've got a few tattoos myself.

 

I also donate blood regularly.

 

The only thing they've ever asked is whether you got one within the past twelve months. Which in my case I hadn't as I got all my tattoos years ago.

 

They never asked where I got the tattoos and they never told me I couldn't donate due to having them. I'm not sure what would happen if I ever said yes, I got one within the last twelve months, if they'd then say "well, you can't donate until it's been a year." But I don't foresee getting any more tattoos either so I don't suppose it will ever be an issue.

 

Thanks for the reminder on blood donation though. I'm due for it and as I'm type O neg, they're always looking for my blood type! I need to schedule an appointment :)

[Renee in NC]

My dh and his tatoos have never had a problem with donating blood or plasma - at least not due to his tattoos! His problem is in the fact that he passes out when he has blood drawn....:lol:

[Faithr]

Hey, I'm sorry I insulted those who like tattoos. I guess I was pretty rude! Sorry. It hadn't occurred to me that folks who get tattoos would let a comment like that get under their skin (hee, hee!).

 

I will admit I also hate sushi. It makes me gag! Please forgive me all you sushi lovers!!!! I also hate those pants that sag really low and let your bottom hang out. Please forgive me all those who think those pants are the height of fashion!!!

 

All kidding aside, it was thoughtless on my part. So I apologize. I promise to never voice my opinion on such sensitive matters again!

[Mrs Mungo]

For our drives, you had to list every country you were stationed, lived, visited/vacationed, even had temporty duty and roughly how long you were there and which years. For some active duty, even some spouses, that can become a VERY long list! LOL!

 

Yep, my entire family is ineligible to give blood because we lived in Germany for 5 years.

 

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-topic#travel

 

In-Depth Discussion of Variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease and Blood Donation

In some parts of the world, cattle can get an infectious, fatal brain disease called Mad Cow Disease. In these same locations, humans have started to get a new disease called variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) which is also a fatal brain disease. Scientists believe that vCJD is Mad Cow Disease that has somehow transferred to humans, possibly through the food chain.

 

There is now evidence from a small number of case reports involving patients and laboratory animal studies that vCJD can be transmitted through transfusion. There is no test for vCJD in humans that could be used to screen blood donors and to protect the blood supply. This means that blood programs must take special precautions to keep vCJD out of the blood supply by avoiding collections from those who have been where this disease is found.

 

At this time, the American Red Cross donor eligibility rules related to vCJD are as follows:

 

You are not eligible to donate if:

 

From January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996, you spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 3 months or more, in the United Kingdom (UK), or

From January 1, 1980, to present, you had a blood transfusion in any country(ies) in the (UK). The UK includes any of the countries listed below.

 

• Channel Islands
  
• England
  
• Falkland Islands
  
• Gibraltar
  
• Isle of Man
  
• Northern Ireland
  
• Scotland
  
• Wales
  

You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

 

• From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany
  
• From 1980 through 1996 - Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece.
  

You spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 5 years or more from January 1, 1980, to present, in any combination of country(ies) in Europe, including

 

• in the UK from 1980 through 1996 as listed above
  
• on or associated with military bases as described above, and
  
• in other countries in Europe as listed below:
  
  • Albania
    
  • Austria
    
  • Belgium
    
  • Bosnia/Herzegovina
    
  • Bulgaria
    
  • Croatia
    
  • Czech Republic
    
  • Denmark
    
  • Finland
    
  • France
    
  • Germany
    
  • Greece
    
  • Hungary
    
  • Ireland (Republic of)
    
  • Italy
    
  • Kosovo (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
    
  • Liechtenstein
    
  • Luxembourg
    
  • Macedonia
    
  • Montenegro (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
    
  • Netherlands (Holland)
    
  • Norway
    
  • Poland
    
  • Portugal
    
  • Romania
    
  • Serbia (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
    
  • Slovak Republic (Slovakia)
    
  • Slovenia
    
  • Spain
    
  • Sweden
    
  • Switzerland
    
  • Turkey
    
  • Yugoslavia (Federal Republic includes Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia)

 

[Desert Rat]

In NV, the rule is 12 months before giving blood after having a tattoo.

[Tangerine]

Hey, I'm sorry I insulted those who like tattoos. I guess I was pretty rude! Sorry. It hadn't occurred to me that folks who get tattoos would let a comment like that get under their skin (hee, hee!).

 

I will admit I also hate sushi. It makes me gag! Please forgive me all you sushi lovers!!!! I also hate those pants that sag really low and let your bottom hang out. Please forgive me all those who think those pants are the height of fashion!!!

 

All kidding aside, it was thoughtless on my part. So I apologize. I promise to never voice my opinion on such sensitive matters again!

 

I don't think anyone minds you saying you love plain skin, or do not find tattoos attractive. I think, maybe, it was the word "repulsive" that was a little :001_huh:. I have a vision of walking by, and then you vomit on your shoes. ;) No worries.

[Guest Navy_Mom]

In addition to all the travel limitations, the Red Cross had previously disallowed donation by anyone with a blood relative who had been dx with variant-CJD. My Brother-in-Law died of vCJD back in the 1980s, and for quit a number of years, my regularly-donating husband was not permitted to donate. There were concerns regarding potential genetic components of vCJD, but we were notified in the past year or two that they have done away with that restriction.

[Nakia]

Hey, I'm sorry I insulted those who like tattoos. I guess I was pretty rude! Sorry. It hadn't occurred to me that folks who get tattoos would let a comment like that get under their skin (hee, hee!).

 

I will admit I also hate sushi. It makes me gag! Please forgive me all you sushi lovers!!!! I also hate those pants that sag really low and let your bottom hang out. Please forgive me all those who think those pants are the height of fashion!!!

 

All kidding aside, it was thoughtless on my part. So I apologize. I promise to never voice my opinion on such sensitive matters again!

 

 

No worries. :001_smile:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dh can't give blood because he worked with monkeys in med school.

[Crissy]

Dh can't give blood because he worked with monkeys in med school.

 

Wow. I didn't see that question on the form. ;)

[Tangerine]

Wow. I didn't see that question on the form. ;)

 

 

Right above "Did you work/travel/fraternize with English monkeys between 1986 and 1992?"

[ThatCyndiGirl]

In addition to all the travel limitations, the Red Cross had previously disallowed donation by anyone with a blood relative who had been dx with variant-CJD. My Brother-in-Law died of vCJD back in the 1980s, and for quit a number of years, my regularly-donating husband was not permitted to donate. There were concerns regarding potential genetic components of vCJD, but we were notified in the past year or two that they have done away with that restriction.

 

 

My brother died of CJD. Never lived in the UK, but somehow came down with sCJD and died fast.

 

ETA: Some places that do blood drives still stick to the "No blood relatives of CJD patients" even though I have had the blood test confirming that I don't carry it AND his autopsy report AND letter from Dr. Gambietti at the Prion Surveillance Center that states that it is NOT the familial form that he had. (There was some speculation that it could have been the genetic form that killed him or Fatal Familial Isomnia or Gerstman-Straussler-Scheinker Syndrome so we had it typed.)

Edited April 20, 2010 by ThatCyndiGirl

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wow. I didn't see that question on the form. ;)

 

Well what do you know, that question isn't there anymore! Dh's last time to try to donate has been some time ago.

[onlyme]

As well as a tattoo and giving blood, I'm wondering if there is an issue with getting an epidural, if there is a recent tattoo? does anyone know?

[Tangerine]

As well as a tattoo and giving blood, I'm wondering if there is an issue with getting an epidural, if there is a recent tattoo? does anyone know?

 

I don't see any reason at all. The reason you can't donate blood for 12 months is a safety precaution to prevent you from passing on tainted blood from a disease acquired from tattoo needles. I'm not an anesthesiologist though! :)

[onlyme]

Dh can't give blood because he worked with monkeys in med school.

 

Ms Jean:

 

Your DH can't, then. But do you have any issues, e.g., such as recent tattoo, etc., why you can't?

 

Take care.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ms Jean:

 

Your DH can't, then. But do you have any issues, e.g., such as recent tattoo, etc., why you can't?

 

Take care.

 

I did try to give blood once. The Red Cross sent me home. I have extreme trouble giving blood for blood tests, having IVs etc. They told me that their needles which are a "one size fits all" gauge would not work on my veins. (Add in my chronic illness that we are still trying to find causes for and that adds other reasons). . .

[onlyme]

I did try to give blood once. The Red Cross sent me home. I have extreme trouble giving blood for blood tests, having IVs etc. They told me that their needles which are a "one size fits all" gauge would not work on my veins. (Add in my chronic illness that we are still trying to find causes for and that adds other reasons). . .

 

Jean in Newcastle:

 

I hope you manage to sort out your health problems okay. They can be frustrating for you. I'm sure.

 

Take care.