Hair Salons Serving As Skin Cancer Detection Centers [Study]

Regular visits to your local hair stylist could actually end up saving your life, according to a recent report published in the October issue of Archives of Dermatology 40% of hair professional surveyed said they look for suspicious lesions on their customer’s scalps.

In the report Alan Geller, MPH, RN, of Harvard and his colleagues wrote:

“Hair professionals are currently acting as lay health advisers for skin cancer detection and prevention, and are willing to become more involved in skin cancer education in the salon.”

The finding is important to understand since 6% of all melanomas on the scalp and neck accounted for 10% of all melanoma related death in the U.S from 1873 to 2003.

The study included 17 salons in the Houston area with 203 out of 304 surveys returned for data collection.

37.1% of all hairdressers said they look at more than 50% of their regular customers’ scalps for signs of suspicious spots that might have appeared since their last haircut.

Less hairdressers reported looking at their customers’  necks with 28.8% of hairdressers reporting the same type attention to the neckline.

Even fewer hairdressers (15.3%) looked at a clients face for lesions.

According to Geller:

“Hair professionals have a more natural view of the back of the head and the neck than they do the face during a salon visit,” Gwhile adding,  ”They may be more aware of skin on the scalp and posterior neck than the face.”

In 60% of responses the hairdressers said they have recommended a doctor visit to a customers health professional.

The biggest find for researchers was the realization that hair professionals appeared in their answers to be receptive towards screening their customers if proper education is provided to them.

Would you take the doctors advice of your hairdresser if they told you a problem might be present?