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What is the difference between donating platelets and donating blood?

Quick answerWhole blood donation collects all parts of your blood in about 10 minutes. Platelet donation uses a machine to collect only platelets and takes longer, often 2 to 3 hours, but you can give more often.

Whole blood

Quick, about an hour total, and separated later into red cells, plasma, and platelets. You can give every 56 days.

Platelets

Longer in the chair, often 2 to 3 hours, but more frequent. You can give platelets every 7 days, up to 24 times a year.

Which to choose

Both are valuable. Your blood type and your center's needs can guide the choice. Staff can tell you what helps most.

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Find a place to donate

Search by city, ZIP, state, or center name, or use your location to see the closest centers.

Centers near meCheck general eligibilitySee what to expect

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Sources and review

The guidance on this page reflects published criteria from these organizations. Eligibility and procedures vary by center and country, so confirm specifics with your donation center.

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Reviewed against American Red Cross, AABB, and U.S. FDA donor guidance
Confidence:
High confidence