Hair Stylists & Skin Cancer

They say only your hairdresser knows for sure. But what your hairdresser knows may save your life.

Think about it for a second. Who else gets that close of a look at your scalp. Now, in addition to helping you look good, they might also be looking for signs of skin cancer. A new study, just published in the medical journal Archives of Dermatology, has found that many more hair professionals are looking for signs of skin cancer while cutting or coloring your hair. And when they find something suspicious they have been recommending visits to a doctor to get that lesion checked out, saving lives in the process. According to this study, nearly 40% of these hair professionals already look at the scalp and some included the neck and face skin as well. Although they are looking for lesions, not many have been trained in what to look for. But experts feel that getting them trained in the ABC & Ds of skin cancer can help find more cases and probably save more lives.

Those ABC & Ds suspicious for skin cancer mean:
A for asymmetric shape, moles with irregular shapes or patterns.
B for irregular border.
C for growths with multiple colors or uneven spread of the colors.
D for diameter larger than 1/4 inch; about the diameter of a pencil eraser.

So, in the near future, as you get your hair done you might also be getting that all important skin check for your scalp.