Assessing beauticians' knowledge of cutaneous melanoma and their willingness to detect lesions and make referrals to dermatologists : an unaddressed resource?

Melanoma accounts for less than 2% of skin cancers. Nevertheless, it is the foremost aggressive kind of cutaneous cancer, responsible for the majority of deaths . Delayed detection and diagnosis contribute to the poor prognosis. Research demonstrates that approximately 50% of melanomas go undetected by self- inspection. To avoid the consequences of delayed diagnosis, efforts are being made in order to identify professional groups that may play a role in early detection of skin cancer and make referrals to dermatologists.The current study aims to investigate melanoma knowledge, surveillance practices and attitudes among beauticians in the metropolitan Rome area. Beauticians observe a great extent of the skin of their clients, and therefore have remarkable access for detecting melanocytic lesions. Moreover, beauticians are used to be in contact with their clients, especially women, more often than dermatologists or family physicians. Aim of this study was o bring awareness of the potential role of beauticians in early detection and referral of cutaneous melanoma.