Mortician Piercings
Dear Mookychick,
This has been on my mind for a while now. I’m in my second year of college for a degree in Funeral Service Administrations. My dream is to run my own funeral home one day. One of my professors, who is in charge of the whole program, has told the students a few times now, that while he doesn’t mind how we look or dress in class, once we enter the field, it must be 100% professional appearance, no matter where we are- at work, or outside of it.
I have quite a few piercings. My septum, my tongue, my eyebrow, my lip, my ears are stretched, and I even have microdermals in my back. I had always assumed that I would just take them out to go to work, or hide them, and put them back in when not on the job. My professor seems to stress that even going to get groceries, we must look and act professional.
I understand that as a mortician, I would have to uphold professional standards, and be someone that the community can trust. Is this still possible to manage, with a face full of metal? Will I have to lose them for good, or be resigned to wearing them in my house, when no one else is around? I’m very attached to my piercings-they each have a meaning behind them, symbolizing things that are all very important to me. I’ve had to take them out a few times before, and it felt like my face was missing! Maybe I’ll grow used to not wearing them, or even decide eventually that I no longer want them. But in the mean time, I’m afraid I’m at a loss.
Love, Anonymous Me xxx
The Mookychick answer to your problem
We actually went and had a chat with a mortician on your behalf. She said…
“Are you going to be doing funerals then? My understanding is that you will need to look respectable during funerals and when you’re at work ONLY so your Professor has no right to tell you to ‘be respectable’ in your private life!
The thing about piercings in particular is that if you’re doing something like post-mortems or embalming they will be considered unhygienic in a lab environment, so you can either take them out for the duration or cover them with a plaster or some Tegaderm.
Same goes for NEW tattoos, as they are an open wound.
However, when you’re at home or out and about you can do what she likes and pretty much every Funeral Director, APT or Embalmer I know has tattoos. Your Professor needs to get with the times