Sydney, April 19: Beauty therapists are becoming key figures in the battle against skin cancer by screening for melanomas during routine sessions, potentially easing the strain on the healthcare system.
Stefan Mazy, CEO of DermR Health Solutions and a specialist in skin genomics and aesthetics, emphasizes the pivotal role of beauty therapists and aestheticians in spotting early skin abnormalities. He explains that professionals in beauty, anti-aging, and hairdressing are well-positioned to notice unusual spots on clients’ faces, necks, ears, and scalps.
“Therapists spend up to an hour at a time with direct contact on a client’s skin, several times a year, and they also access hard-to-see spots. With such intimate and frequent interactions, they often know a client’s skin better than the client’s GP or dermatologist would,” Mazy notes.
With over 15 years in the aesthetics industry, focusing on skin genomics training and education, Mazy highlights the significant delay in skin cancer identification as a major challenge.
“Noticing a suspicious spot can mean the difference between life and death,” he adds.
To combat this, an online training course called Spot a Spot? has been initiated by NSW TAFE, targeting beauty, hair, tattoo, and allied health professionals to raise early awareness and detection, thus aiming to reduce cancer-related deaths.
“When a therapist notices a suspicious spot or a change in the skin and starts a conversation about it, the client is encouraged to have it examined by a doctor,” Mazy explains.
“Identifying potential skin cancers early can reduce the costly burdens on our pressured healthcare system.”
Australia, known as the skin cancer capital of the world, faces over $1.7 billion in melanoma and other skin cancer treatments annually, the largest cancer cost in the healthcare system. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that seven per cent of patients delayed or did not see a GP in 2022-23 due to cost, a 3.5 per cent increase from the previous year. The State of the Nation in Melanoma report by Insight Economics highlights major barriers to early detection, including inadequate skin cancer checks and cost-related issues such as limited bulk billing.
Maria Enna-Cocciolone, CEO of O Cosmedics, and her team invest time in educating therapists about skin health beyond just product knowledge, recognizing the critical role of early detection. “A therapist can catch something early or, unfortunately, too late, and I’ve heard countless stories where early suspicions confirmed by doctors have saved lives,” says Enna-Cocciolone.
Therapists often identify life-threatening conditions like basal cell carcinomas due to the scope of treatments they perform. “Clients expose most of their body depending on the treatment, which might include areas overlooked by themselves or partners. A therapist can spot, feel, or recognize changes in a spot that a client might not see,” she adds.
Jessica Evans, owner of Pilbara Cosmetic and a registered nurse, underlines the unique position of beauty industry professionals in rural areas like Western Australia’s Pilbara region. “The beauty industry professionals, who constantly examine people’s skin, can be great resources, especially where it’s challenging to access a GP or dermatologist,” she states.
Evans promotes awareness among her clients, encouraging them to take photos of suspicious spots and consult a doctor.
“Though I can’t diagnose skin cancer, I do my best to facilitate early detection,” she emphasizes.
Mazy urges the beauty industry to engage with the Spot a Spot? program. “With no national skin cancer screening program, this initiative is currently the next best option. Skin cancer demands in-person medical consultation and diagnosis through invasive procedures like biopsies,” he explains.
This collaborative approach not only helps save lives by leveraging the frequent client interactions inherent in the beauty industry but also significantly reduces the healthcare costs associated with late-stage cancer treatments.
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