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Blood donation - Are the medications I use safe?
Hi,everyone. I am a 20 year-old female student and in relation to the title of this post, my college is organising a blood donation drive 2 days from now. However, I am unsure as to whether these products, recommended to me by my dermatologist, would adversely affect the any prospective recipient of my blood,even in trace amounts. This is a short list of medications that I do use :
1. Nizoral or Dezor anti-dandruff shampoo (the last time I checked, its active ingredient is Ketaconazole)
2. Regro 5% (Minoxidil) topical solution- I have a minor bald spot which resembles the condition of male-pattern baldness. It is not severe of course, and not that obvious according to most people I know. But to prevent any exacerbation of this in the long run, I spray it on and rub it on my scalp once a day. That being said though, I do not apply this everyday, instead more like, after every few days or so.
I notice that I have a slight mustache and thick facial hair,particularly on my neck. I am not sure if this is due to the medication, my genes or a combination of both factors. Oh and I found out Minoxidil is a vasodilator too.
3. Benzac 5% and Differin 2% pimple creams
Another thing I would like to mention is that I just came back from the hairdresser's after undergoing a 3-hour long hair relaxing treatment, which is what led me to ponder all this in the first place. Would the chemicals used in this procedure build up in significant levels and be detrimental to certain potential blood recipients (namely, a pregnant woman) ? I am somewhat clueless if the point I am about to mention is somewhat relevant but my hairdresser told me to leave my hair the way it is currently (that means no washing) for the next 2 days (incidentally, until the day of the blood donation).
Unfortunately, I cannot contact my dermatologist regarding the safety of my blood for donation after using these medications as she is on holiday for the next 2-3 weeks. Also, I cannot seem to find an exact answer to this problem of mine even after researching on Google. Thus,could everyone please help enlighten me on this? I really want to donate blood so badly and need to know whether I am truly eligible to. Thank you (in advance) so much everybody.
1. Nizoral or Dezor anti-dandruff shampoo (the last time I checked, its active ingredient is Ketaconazole)
2. Regro 5% (Minoxidil) topical solution- I have a minor bald spot which resembles the condition of male-pattern baldness. It is not severe of course, and not that obvious according to most people I know. But to prevent any exacerbation of this in the long run, I spray it on and rub it on my scalp once a day. That being said though, I do not apply this everyday, instead more like, after every few days or so.
I notice that I have a slight mustache and thick facial hair,particularly on my neck. I am not sure if this is due to the medication, my genes or a combination of both factors. Oh and I found out Minoxidil is a vasodilator too.
3. Benzac 5% and Differin 2% pimple creams
Another thing I would like to mention is that I just came back from the hairdresser's after undergoing a 3-hour long hair relaxing treatment, which is what led me to ponder all this in the first place. Would the chemicals used in this procedure build up in significant levels and be detrimental to certain potential blood recipients (namely, a pregnant woman) ? I am somewhat clueless if the point I am about to mention is somewhat relevant but my hairdresser told me to leave my hair the way it is currently (that means no washing) for the next 2 days (incidentally, until the day of the blood donation).
Unfortunately, I cannot contact my dermatologist regarding the safety of my blood for donation after using these medications as she is on holiday for the next 2-3 weeks. Also, I cannot seem to find an exact answer to this problem of mine even after researching on Google. Thus,could everyone please help enlighten me on this? I really want to donate blood so badly and need to know whether I am truly eligible to. Thank you (in advance) so much everybody.
Best Answer
Hello Dr. Kokil, I couldn't help but take notice of the fact that capati92 reports of having excessive facial hair as a result of using 5% Minoxidil topical solution (which,from what I've read, is not recommended for females by the way. 2% is much better in order to reduce the chances of unwanted body hair growth). What I'd really like to know is after how long is Minoxidil topical solution excreted from the body, should systemic absorption occur? What is its half-life and after how long is it metabolised? Thank you very much.
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As per the list supplied by Mayoclinic (http://www.mayoclinic.org/mcitems/mc1400-mc1499/mc1402-50.pdf), none of the drugs you are taking or applying on the scalp can cause any problems while donating blood or to the recipient of the blood you donate. However, please do mention it at the camp before you donate blood. Take care!
The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.