Whole blood donor return rates after deferral for tattooing or body piercing-Survey across blood donation services: The BEST collaborative study.

Tattoo and piercing deferrals lead to missed donations and result in lower return rates. However, the numbers vary largely internationally, probably due to cultural and policy differences. Shortening deferral periods after tattooing or piercing may reduce the impact on donor availability, which should be investigated in single-centre studies.