"PIERCING FRIENDLY" HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Finding the right health professional for you may be a challenge when you have piercings or other types of body art. Whether one is seeking general health care or help with a problem directly related to piercing(s)/body art, all health professionals have an ethical responsibility to provide objective health care and to be respectful of each individual¹s personal choices.

POSITIVE EXPERIENCES
If you know a health professional that has demonstrated a high standard of professionalism and courtesy with pierced or "body modified" patients in the Montreal area, please tell us! They will be added to our list of recommended professionals, available at the link below.

Important Note: Do not expect these professionals to be complacent when it comes to obviously irresponsible or neglected body art. If you have done something you know was in bad judgement be open about this with your chosen health professional. Be honest about your lifestyle and other factors related to your health.

FIND A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL here (link to be added later).

NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
Negative commentary or criticism or your body art choices should be limited to the health issue(s) at hand. Help managing piercing/body art related health issues should be non-judgmental and courteous. The health professional¹s personal opinion should not be included in their consultation except in cases of compliments or friendly curiosity. Inappropriate conduct may include:

• Inappropriate comments or insults about your body art unrelated to your health.

• Refusal to treat you at all unless you "take that out". (Certain procedures may require the short-term removal of piercings, such as complex dental work, surgeries, etc. The health professional should be sensitive to your desire to maintain your piercing(s) and should be able to provide clear reasons for removal if necessary)

• Repeated questions about illicit drug use or Sexually Transmitted Diseases when you have already answered honestly.

• Obviously biased comments against piercing or body art in general may be a sign that the health professional will not be able to provide objective health care for you. (i.e.: "I¹ve never understood why someone would do that to themselves")

• Fear tactics based on speculation rather than real statistical risk. If a doctor says "Don¹t you know that you could get AIDS or Hepatitis through your piercing!?" is like telling someone "You own a car! Don¹t you know you could have a serious accident!?".

• Comments regarding your mental health: It does not mean you are mentally ill just because the doctor has never seen the type of body art you have! (Reported examples include a client with genital piercing whose doctor wrote "genital self-mutilation" in the patients file and suggested they see a psychiatrist. This is abusive, insulting and shows real naivete on the part of the doctor.)

Be reasonable. For example: If you have a number of extremely unhealthy piercings and you are there for a check up, don't expect your doctor to ignore them. If you have many piercings, very unusual piercings, or other unusual body art, don't expect your medical professional not to react at all. There is a difference between a reaction of surprise or curiosity to something unusual, and insulting or judgmental behavior.

If you are insulted or mistreated by a health professional, don¹t hesitate to find someone new or or at least get a second opinion. In serious cases when you feel that the health professional has stepped outside the bounds of acceptable conduct, you may be able to make an official complaint. Find out how to make an official complaint here (link to be added later).

Presently the information provided is for the Montreal area only. This link may be helpful to those outside of Montreal. Although the the linked site is intended to provide a referral service for those with sexual differences, pierced people may face a parallel of discrimination and are likely to find the referrals useful.