Welcome back Side Hustlers!
Donating plasma, while being a fairly extreme side hustle seeing as how it involves essentially
exploiting your body to make money, is also a pretty profitable one.
Hopefully, this video will be useful if you've been considering donating plasma, wondering
what the process looks like, and curious about the pros and cons of doing it.
But before we cover the ins and outs of plasma donation, let's make sure we're all on the
same page.
Plasma is the liquid component of your blood that comprises about 55% of its volume.
It's made up of proteins.
And these proteins are crucial for your body to be able to fend off infection.
Plasma also is unique in the way that it regenerates pretty quickly.
Because of this, people can donate it on a regular basis.
Donated plasma is used to provide therapies and treatment for people who have a number
of serious diseases and disorders – one of the most noteworthy of these being hemophilia.
It's also used to treat shock, burns, and other types of physical trauma.
Currently, plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is also being used to treat other
people who come down with severe cases of the disease.
Booking An Appointment
If you aren't sure if there is a plasma donation center in your area, a quick google search
will tell you where all of the clinics are nearby.
After you've found the information you're looking for, you'll want to make your appointment
over the phone.
Most plasma centers are open Monday through Saturday during regular business hours.
Expect to spend at least two to three hours at your first appointment.
You're going to have to undergo a physical and fill out a lot of paperwork.
The whole process is pretty tedious and demanding, but that effectively weeds out everyone that's
less serious about actually donating their plasma.
After you've jumped through all of those hoops, you are finally ready to donate!
Things To Remember Before You Donate
The night before you donate, you should make sure you get plenty of sleep.
It's also important not to consume any alcohol for 24 hours before donating.
On the day of you're appointment, you'll want to have a hearty meal, but do your best to
avoid caffeine.
Yes, that means you won't be able to have your morning cup of coffee.
Within a few hours of your appointment, be sure to drink at least 4 to 6 glasses of water,
juice, or other beverage to make sure that you are adequately hydrated.
Last but not least, be sure to bring some form of a photo ID.
The Donation Process
During the donation, a needle is going to be placed in the vein in your arm.
Your blood will then be collected, and a machine will separate the plasma from the various
other components of your blood, such as the red and white blood cells and platelets.
These other parts of your blood will be returned back to your body through the same IV.
This process is known as plasmapheresis.
During the donation process, you'll sit reclined in a chair with your feet up.
Make sure you don't move the arm your IV is in, but you will be able to read a book or
watch TV.
The entire process takes longer than a typical blood donation, as separating out the plasma
can be a bit time consuming.
You can expect your first donation session to take somewhere in the ballpark of two hours.
After you've donated, you'll be offered a drink and a snack.
Medical professionals will then monitor you to make sure you aren't feeling faint or dizzy.
For the next day, you'll want to consume lots of fluids and avoid heavy lifting or strenuous
activity.
The Side Effects And Dangers Of Donating Plasma
While donating plasma is a mostly safe process, there are a few side effects and dangers to
look out for.
Donating plasma can cause side effects such as dehydration and fatigue.
These two are fairly common and minor, but some plasma donators have also experienced
things like fainting, lightheartedness, and dizzy spells.
More serious, albeit rare, side effects include infection, citrate reactions, and arterial
puncture.
Be advised though, some donation centers don't thoroughly vet their donors.
This ultimately can lead to other donors being put at risk for contracting serious
blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis or HIV.
What You Can Expect to Make Donating Plasma
While the Red Cross doesn't pay for plasma donations, some companies do compensate their
donors.
The amount of cash you can earn varies, but according to their websites, CSL Plasma claims
that donors can earn up to $700 a month.
Grifols Plasma indicates that its donors can earn up to $400 a month.
While the potential to make a significant chunk of change by donating plasma is real,
many people will be put off by all of the prep and paperwork required to actually donate.
If you're willing to jump through all of these hoops, however, donating plasma can be a fairly
lucrative side hustle.
If you're curious, though, about another profitable side hustle, check out this video on starting
your own vending machine business.
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