Hairdressers are willing to help customers detect skin cancers

Source: KHFGO, September 2019

(Reuters Health) – Most hair stylists at salons and barber shops may be interested in getting trained to detect skin cancers on the scalp, face and neck, researchers say.

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.

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