Looking Below The Locks: Teaching Hairdressers To Spot Melanoma

[Guest Nicole]

Hairdressers spend more time looking at the tops of heads than anyone else, so are well positioned to spot suspicious skin changes.

Of all types of skin cancer, melanoma causes the majority of deaths. When on the scalp it can be especially difficult to catch in a self-examination — when was the last time you examined the top of your head?

One person who might be able to help: your hairdresser. While cutting your hair, they've got a great view for a scalp inspection. And they can learn how to spot scary changes, researchers say.

In a report published Wednesday in JAMA Dermatology, researchers from the University of Southern California and University of Colorado Denver detailed their efforts to educate hairdressers with a training video. Hairdressers had told some of the same researchers that they wanted to learn more about melanoma detection in an earlier survey, so they seemed like willing participants.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/12/06/568815387/looking-below-the-locks-teaching-hairdressers-to-spot-melanoma