Posts Tagged ‘Brigham & Women’s’
Hair professionals can add to discovery of skin cancer lesions
In a survey of hair professionals, some reported that they look at customers’ face, scalp and neck for suspicious skin lesions, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Dermatology…
Elizabeth E. Bailey, M.D…and colleagues conducted a survey of 304 hair professionals from 17 salons in a single chain in the greater Houston area…which included questions on the frequency with which they observed their customers’ scalp, neck and face for abnormal moles during the previous month.
Of the 203 respondents, 69 percent reported being “somewhat” or “very likely” to give customers a skin cancer information pamphlet during an appointment; 49 percent reported they were “very” or “extremely” interested in participating in a skin cancer education program; and 25 percent share general health information with customers “often” or “always.” Most respondents (71.9 percent) also reported they had not received a course on skin cancer but a modest number were educating their customers and observing for suspicious lesions.
When answering questions about observing suspicious skin lesions during the previous month, 73 participants (37.1 percent) reported looking at more than 50 percent of their customers’ scalps; 56 (28.8 percent) reported looking at more than 50 percent of their customers’ necks; and 30 (15.3 percent) reported looking at more than 50 percent of their customers’ faces. Additionally, 58 percent of participants reported they had recommended at least once that a customer see a health professional for an abnormal mole…
“In conclusion, this study provides evidence that hair professionals are currently acting as lay health advisors for skin cancer detection and prevention and are willing to become more involved in skin cancer education in the salon,” the authors write.
“Future research should focus on creating a program that provides hair professionals with expert training and effective health communication tools to become confident and skilled lay skin cancer educators.”
Many medical professionals don’t realize the benefits of adding those few seconds of examination for a problem which only continues to increase in a population which spends more and more time outdoors. I may holler about sedentary Americans; but, a significant and expanding minority is getting off their rusty dusty and exercising outdoors in some manner or other. Michelle Obama’s advocacy for children is starting to have an effect.
Personal experience with a military derm practice reinforces these conclusions. You’d expect careful broad examinations; but, it used to be common to evaluate patients based on the context. But, the derm I knew, he and his staff would take the extra time to look for melanoma with patients who rarely were in much sunlight. Like submariners.
It became clear his detection rate exceeded “normal” stats and he was among the first to press for expanded exams.
