How long donate blood

Be at least 17 years old in most states 16 years old with parental consent in some states. Weigh at least pounds.

Additional weight requirements apply for donors 18 years old and younger and all high school donors. Have not donated blood in the last 56 days. Play Video. Afraid of needles? Unsure if travel or medications will prevent you from donating blood? Is it safe to donate? How to Get Ready Donors must have proof of age to ensure they meet the minimum age requirements and present a primary form of ID or two secondary forms of ID.

Ready to Help Save a Life? Find a convenient blood drive near you and schedule an appointment to donate today. Find a Drive. Although the actual process of donating blood is relatively quick, the procedure does take time because it requires paperwork and other protocols to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Depending on the site of the blood donation, the process may vary slightly, but it usually follows these steps:. Donations via apheresis, which are those involving plasma, platelets, or red blood cells, follow a slightly different process. Instead of going straight into a bag, the blood flows through a tube into a machine that separates out specific components of the blood. This procedure will vary depending on what the person donates, though the process is similar. Once the machine has filtered out the component that the person is donating, it reinfuses the blood back into the donor.

A person can expect the entire apheresis procedure to take about 2 hours , but it could be slightly shorter for some donations. Most healthy adults will not experience side effects from donating blood products, and serious complications from blood donation are rare. However, some people may experience mild side effects, such as dizziness or nausea , just after donating.

Due to this, many donation centers will ask the person to sit for 15 minutes after a donation to rest. They may also offer the person something to eat or drink to help the body recover. After apheresis, some people may experience other mild symptoms, such as pain, bruising, or bleeding at the needle insertion point.

Other symptoms might occur as the body recovers, such as nausea, lightheadedness, or dizziness. Although blood donation is safe in most cases, it does remove blood components and iron from the body, with certain blood products taking more time for the body to replenish.

After donating, a person can take care of themselves by:. After the blood drawing process, the product will undergo testing. It will then remain in storage to be ready when people need the blood.

The shelf life of red blood cells is about 42 days , so only regular donations can help maintain the blood supply. Before the actual donation starts, a part of your arm, where the blood will be drawn from, will be cleaned and sterilized.

A new sterile needle will then be inserted into a vein in your arm, and blood will start to flow into a collection pouch. While your blood is being drawn, you can relax. Some blood centers show movies or have a television playing to keep you distracted. Once your blood has been drawn, a small bandage and dressing will be placed on your arm.

During this process, since only one component is being removed from the blood for donation, the other components will have to be returned back into your bloodstream after being separated in a machine. The time it takes to replenish blood from a blood donation can vary from person to person. Your age, height, weight, and overall health all play a role.

According to the American Red Cross , plasma is generally replenished within 24 hours, while red blood cells return to their normal levels within 4 to 6 weeks. The waiting period helps to ensure that your body has enough time to replenish plasma, platelets, and red blood cells before you make another donation. Donating blood is an easy way to help others and possibly even save lives. Most people in good health, without any risk factors, can donate whole blood every 56 days.

Your local blood donation center can also tell you if certain blood types are in high demand. One donation can save as many as three lives. Someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds. Eating the right things before you donate blood can reduce your risk for side effects. Here are the things you should eat before donating. Getting your blood drawn will likely happen at some point in your life, whether for a blood test or donating blood.

We'll walk you through the typical…. Discover whether you can donate blood if you have a tattoo. This is because blood types and antigens are inherited, just like eye and hair color. Searching for very precise transfusion matches can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, so it makes sense to begin with donors of the same ethnic or racial background as the transfusion recipient.

Nearly every donated pint of blood is transfused to a patient in need. A unit would not be transfused if it tested positive for certain infectious diseases or is needed for research. Sickle Cell Disease. Media Contact X. Why should I donate blood?

Can I donate blood or platelets? Do I need ID to donate? How long does the donation take? What will happen when I donate blood? How will I feel after I donate? What happens to my blood after it's donated? Can I get the HIV virus by donating blood?