Can those with tatoos still donate blood?

That's a serious question. I donate regualarly, I remember seeing tats on the questionaire, but I can't remember if it's a certain time limit or a forever thing.

I have a lady friend in her late 60s, with a tat on her lower spine:

If you can read this, you are too close.

Mrs. BGR

If a tat artist dosn't use new clean needles , you can get serious blood infections, my one friend , with many tats is on meds for his blood probs , can't donate blood , etc ,.

Found it:

Tattoos/Permanent Make-up
Donor is eligible if tattooing/make-up application is performed in a physician's office using single-use equipment. Otherwise, donor is deferred for 12 months.
Ear/Body Piercing
Donor is eligible if piercing was performed using single-use equipment. Otherwise, donor is deferred for 12 months.
Note: Piercings done at Claire's stores and similar establishments are acceptable.


Although hepatitis earns you a permanent donation excuse.

Many of the larger Financial institutions do not consider Tattoo's neither art or self expression. The foreign Banks and Corporations in many cases are a bit more discriminative in the employees that they hire. Formally working in NYC for one of these corporations I can say they do not hire people for front office positions with Tattoo's. So before getting any type of Body Art one should consider this.

My father was one of the first doctors into Dachau after it was liberated. He never could talk about it.

Because of the Hepatitis risk, many healthcare institutions won't hire a person who is tatted up or has piercings. I have to agree that I wouldn't want my doctor/nurse covered in either.
I am a tattoo virgin, only because I've never felt I needed one, I'm not against them. I do one piercing that is not in my ears, but it's not visible at work.

What you saw, Mopar, I never have..so that might affect my feelings about tatoos.

Yes, a friend's daughter got..and still gets a Mersa? infection and ends up in the hospital..in quarantine! with those infections..very transmittable.

I've thought about it..I saw a few women back in Ohio with them..they were very good..one with a Celtic knot.. and one with a butterfly between her forefinger and index finger.

I doubt I ever will do it..but I see no problem..in fact a good friend I know in NY has a few..

I would probably do something I could see..not to decorate for others eyes.

I don't have any tat's - I don't like pain - have lived with pain 24/7 for over 25 years.
My son in law has many tattoos - only one is viable in his scrubs that is the matching tattoo he and my daughter got on their honey moon two hearts on the wrists. My son also has several they told him when he joined the navy that tat's are like a map of where you have been, he has perused it whole heatedly.
My older daughter is tired of people coming up to her speaking Spanish thinking that she is Mexican, so for her next tat she wants a label on her calf - the American flag MADE IN THE USA. She says when someone approaches her speaking Spanish, she will just show them the label and walk away.

a friends wife got one above her breast, it was once a parrot, now he says" it's a flamingo"

Why do people wear some of the cloths or jewelry they wear? In some cases I would rather look at a nice tattoo than look at some of the things I see people wear. Yes I have 7 tattoos.

I can change clothes and jewelry, and I agree some people's taste is 'different'.