All about giving plasma

What is blood plasma? Simply put: it’s a matter of survival. For many patients. Newborn babies included. Can they count on you? Donating plasma takes barely an hour of your time. Every single day, we need plasma donors to help save lives. The advantage: you recover faster from donating plasma than from donating whole blood. So you can do it more often.

• What is (blood) plasma? Your blood is 55% yellow liquid: plasma. Plasma, in turn, is 91.5% water and 8.5% dissolved substances such as proteins, sugars, fats, salts, hormones, and vitamins.
• Why is it necessary? It is vital for people with severe bleeding disorders caused by massive blood loss or blood disorders. It is also essential for newborn babies with severe jaundice. And it is used in the production of many medications.
• Who is eligible to donate plasma? Take the donor self-assessment quiz to find out right away if you qualify.
• How often? You can donate plasma every 14 days. After donating blood, you must wait at least 28 days before you can donate plasma.
• How long does it take? The donation process takes just over an hour. The plasma collection itself takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Where? Since we need special equipment to collect plasma, this can only be done at one of our permanent donation centers. Some Red Cross chapters organize free rides to the donation center for people who want to donate plasma. 
• How does it work? Plasma is collected using a different machine than blood. The main difference is that when you donate plasma, your blood cells are returned to you. Here’s a step-by-step guide to how the process works. 

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Lien explains how the plasma is processed and tested afterward