SAN JUAN COUNTY — People who recently got a tattoo no longer have to wait a year to donate blood in New Mexico.

Would-be donors previously had to wait one year from the date of receiving their tattoo to give blood. As of Monday, people can donate as soon as their tattoo heals, which typically takes less than two weeks.

The amendment was mandated by the Food and Drug Administration. San Juan County's non-profit community blood provider, United Blood Services, willingly heeded the call.

"The FDA knows how hard it is to get the blood we need as it is, and I think they saw a way to help us out," said Heath Faulkner, manager of United Blood Services in Farmington.

The one-year deferral period was in place because it takes a year to find out if someone contracted

hepatitis while getting their tattoo. New licensing requirements in New Mexico have led to more sanitary practices, such as sterile needles and fresh ink, and the risk of being infected with hepatitis, HIV and other blood-borne diseases has significantly decreased.

Calls to several area tattoo parlors, many of which were not open for business Monday, went unreturned.

Lifting the tattoo ban should result in an increase in the amount of younger people donating blood. Blood drives at high schools and San Juan College are some of the most successful events United Blood Services organizes, but many students knew about the waiting period and were uninterested in donating.

Teenagers can give blood when they turn 17, or with parental consent at 16. They're not eligible to get a tattoo on their own until they turn 18, but can get one at a younger age with a parent's permission.

"With the growing popularity of tattoos, we were deferring more and more donors, most commonly the young adults we want to initiate as lifelong blood donors," said Cindy James, donor recruitment supervisor at United Blood Services.

The new rule goes into effect for people who get a tattoo after Monday. Someone who got a tattoo before the Monday amendment still has to wait a year before they can donate.

"If you had a tattoo on Oct. 26 you'd have to wait a year. If you got one today, then you wouldn't have to wait," James said Monday.

Officials at United Blood Services also screen for other factors, such as a potential donor's recent travel destinations and sexual history.

G. Jeff Golden: jgolden@daily-times.com