November 2011

Should hairdressers help spot cancers?

Next time you get a haircut, you might end up with a referral to a dermatologist.

A recent survey of Texas hair salons found more than a third of stylists check at least half of their customers for suspicious moles on the scalp, and most have referred people to a doctor lest the mole turn out to be skin cancer. What’s more, half the hairdressers were keen to learn more about skin cancer to help extend the reach of doctors screening for the disease, according to findings in the Archives of Dermatology.