Donating plasma is one of the lesser known ways people can make some extra money without doing much. You just show up at a donation center, endure the prick of a needle, and collect some cash at the end.
It’s safe, fast, and easy.
It’s also relatively lucrative. GoodRx reports that you can make between $30 and $70 per donation. Given that you can donate up to twice a week, that’s between $3,120 and $7,280 annually if you max out donations.
Like any medical procedure, there are risks. One single mom says she recently learned this firsthand.
Now she’s warning others to be aware of the risks.
Iriani (@itsmeiriani) recently posted a TikTok about donating plasma. She says she she used to donate it to make extra money.
But since her last donation, Iriani has been experiencing something strange. She says her hands and legs randomly go numb.
“I went back to read some of the pamphlets and that’s actually one of the side effects,” she says. “So even though you may not see any side effects now, you may see them later on.”
“Be careful if you’re donating plasma for extra money,” she warns in a TikTok with 521,000 views as of Saturday.
What is plasma and who can donate?
Plasma is simply the liquid part of your blood. It helps blood move through the body, regulates blood pressure, and supports cell function, per GoodRx.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reports that blood plasma treats some rare and chronic diseases.
In order to donate, you must be 18, healthy, and not have gotten tattooed or pierced within the last four months, HHS notes. People on certain medications or whose iron count is too low may be turned away from donating.
The process of donating plasma is similar to donating blood. However, it takes significantly longer—between 90 minutes and two hours compared to less than an hour for blood.
The biggest difference is that you can sell your plasma. While it’s not technically illegal to pay for blood donations, hospitals won’t use it, and there’s no system in place for buying blood.
So if you want to make a quick buck off something your body naturally produces, plasma may be your best bet.
What about the risks?
The risks of donating plasma are similar to those of donating blood. Dizziness, fatigue, bruising, and bleeding are the most common.
As Iriani says she learned, in very rare cases, there are more serious side effects.
In the TikTok, she says that she most recently donated plasma six months ago. Since then, she’s intermittently experienced numbness of the hands and legs.
She says she went back and looked at the pamphlets they gave her and, sure enough, numbness is a potential side effect.
“So definitely keep that in mind next time you go donate,” she says.
The HHS warns people who experience more severe side effects to seek medical attention.
It’s not clear if Iriani has done so. She didn’t respond to an emailed inquiry sent Saturday.
Many of the comments on her post are from people complaining of various symptoms they attribute to plasma donation. Several said they’d also experienced numbness.
One person who identified themselves as phlebotomist offered their expert opinion. “They hit a nerve or your tendon! That’s the only explanation to the tingling/numbness,” they wrote.
@itsmeiriani ♬ original sound – itsmeIriani?
In spite of the numbness, Iriani says she would donate plasma again. Now she wants to make sure others are aware of the potential side effects.
So while donating plasma is a way to make ends meet, it’s best to be sure you understand the risks before the needle is in your vein.
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