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 Since hairdressers see a customer's head and neck skin up close and
regularly, they're able to look for unusual spots or changes that
could be melanoma, the study authors write in the Journal of the
American Academy of Dermatology.
"Hairdressers are uniquely positioned to be part of screening teams
to find skin cancers early. People are more loyal to them than most
other professions," said Dr. Suephy Chen of Emory University in
Atlanta, senior author of the study.
"Previous studies have shown that hairdressers are willing and eager
to do this," she told Reuters Health by email. "They want to be
taught by dermatologists."
Chen and colleagues surveyed stylists at 15 salons within a 30-mile
radius of Emory in fall 2017 and received 229 completed surveys from
12 salons. Questions included whether the hair professionals ever
checked clients for skin lesions, had a client who asked them to
check for skin lesions, or had referred a client to a doctor for an
abnormal mole.
The survey also asked hairdressers for reasons why they might not
check for skin lesions, as well as whether stylists should be
trained in skin cancer detection and the best way to offer such
training. Among the respondents, 82% were women, 86% were white and
97% estimated that more than half of their customers were white.
The research team found that 93% of hairdressers wanted to learn
more about skin cancer detection and 73% believed stylists should
receive skin cancer detection training, but only 40% thought it
should be required for certification as a hair professional.
Less than one quarter of stylists had received a request from a
customer to check for skin lesions, yet more than half had referred
a customer to a doctor to check an abnormal mole. About 40% said
they rarely or never checked for skin lesions.
Overall, hairdressers said the top reasons they don't check for
lesions are: they lack training; they don't have the confidence to
recognize lesions; they're unsure about the appropriate steps to
take; and they don't feel comfortable bringing up skin cancer with
their customers. Hairdressers who had discussed skin cancer with
clients were twice as likely as those who hadn't to agree with
detection training.
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"Several patients have come to me and said their hairdresser or
barber pointed out a mole or freckle, so they wanted to make an
appointment, and at least half a dozen have been diagnosed with
melanoma of the scalp from that experience," said Dr. Neda Black of
the Comprehensive Dermatology Center in Pasadena, California, who
wasn't involved in the study.
Although scalp melanoma is less common than melanoma in other
locations on the body, it's often more severe and fatal because
patients don't notice dark spots or abnormalities on their heads,
she said. Those who are active outdoors should get checked,
especially since sun protection products aren't typically marketed
for or used on the scalp.
"My first patient who had this was a 30-year-old man who had just
gotten married," Black said in a phone interview. "We were able to
cure him, but he would have died if his hairdresser hadn't caught
it."
The Skin Cancer Foundation recently launched an education program
called "Heads Up!" that promotes salon-held training sessions for
skin cancer surveillance. Groups such as EyesonCancer.org have also
started initiatives to train beauty professionals about different
types of cancer, including massage professionals and nail salon
aestheticians.
"Clients shouldn't be shy about asking their hairdresser to check
for anything abnormal," Black noted. "About 99% of hairdressers feel
honored to be asked and are willing to take a look."
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2YerIzY Journal of the American Academy of
Dermatology, online July 17, 2019.
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