Blood donations and tattoos.
Happy World Tattoo Day, everyone! We are very excited on this day to be sharing our collaboration with NHS Give Blood. The aim of this collaboration is to inform people on the process of being a blood donor who also wishes to get tattooed. The great news is you absolutely can do both, you just need to know the procedure to follow.
How long is the wait period for donating blood after a tattoo?
Four months is the minimum amount of time you need to wait before you can donate blood after getting tattooed. The waiting period also applies to permanent makeup and body piercings. This preserves the safety of people receiving the donated blood. The waiting time is required as it may take this long for any potential blood borne pathogen cells to appear within the body.
Can I give blood and get tattooed in the same day?
We strongly recommend that you do not get a tattoo immediately after giving blood as there is a larger risk of an adverse reaction such as fainting, dizziness or lightheadedness. We advise waiting at least 24 hours after giving blood before getting tattooed.
What is the primary risk of donating blood after getting tattooed?
After getting tattooed the primary risk is transmitting blood borne pathogens. The tattoo studio you go to should have a very strict hygiene policy, meaning that there would be no risk of any blood borne pathogens being transmitted during the procedure. Here at Secret Society we are very strict with our set up and clean down processes, and protecting our equipment/using disposable equipment to avoid any cross contamination. You will also notice on our consent form we ask you to make us aware of any blood borne pathogens you may have, this does not mean we will not tattoo you, it is so that we can be extra cautious with the sharps we use, and any bodily fluids.
What are blood borne pathogens?
Blood borne pathogens are viruses that can be transferred via blood, or other bodily fluids. They can make a person seriously ill, so it is a good idea to get yourselves vaccinated against any, or to get yourself checked regularly to make sure you’re not carrying any.
What are the types of blood borne pathogens?
There are many different types of blood borne pathogens, the main ones that relate to tattooing are;
Hepatitis B and C
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections affect the liver and the acute infection may become chronic hepatitis disease, with very serious potential consequences on the liver such as cirrhosis or liver cancer that can be challenging to treat and may require liver transplant or lead to death.
HIV
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
You have waited your four months, what next?
You’re now ready to book your blood donation appointment, you can do so on the NHS Give Blood website; https://www.blood.co.uk . There is also a good amount of information on this website so you know what to expect when you go and give blood.
What happens to your blood sample after you have donated?
Once you have gone through the four month waiting process and you have just given your blood donation, NHS Blood Donation are very thorough in testing each sample to ensure it is free of any blood borne pathogens before allowing it to be donated.
We hope this blog has been interesting and gives you an understanding as to the reasons why we recommend following certain guidelines regarding tattooing and donating blood. Below we have a link to our instagram account where you can watch a video which covers the information in more detail, enjoy!
https://www.instagram.com/secret_society_leics?igsh=aGlrczYyMHd1MWpi