Melanoma Foundation Teams Up with Hair Stylists

Stylist Tyler Trifilo of Salon Mario Russo in Boston demonstrates The Skinny On Skin technique; acting as model is Boston resident Emily Ingardia, a melanoma survivor and MFNE spokesperson/volunteer. Photo provided.

According to the Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE) only 10 percent of melanomas occur on the neck and scalp. But those can be the most deadly because melanomas in those locations go undetected or are caught late. Think about it, how often do you see the back of your head? Because stylists see their clients on average every six to eight weeks—most likely more often than you see a doctor—and are usually looking at the back of your head, it puts them in a unique position to be able to the see places you can’t. It makes perfect sense for stylists to know what to look out for and to have the necessary knowledge to spot a melanoma.

That’s why the MFNE is launching “The Skinny on Skin”, a free education program for salon professionals to learn how to detect skin cancer. The program trains hair and beauty professionals to identify cancerous moles on the scalp and neck while working on their clients. There will be three events across New England this spring, and training will be lead by Dr. Robin L. Travers of SkinCare Physicians of Chestnut Hill.  

Salon Mario Russo on Newbury Street had 15 stylists participate in the education and was one of the first salons in the region to be awarded “The Skinny on Skin’s Seal of Approval”. Other partners include Paul Mitchell of Northern New England, Macadamia Natural Oil, Modern Salon Media, Elavina Salon, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing.

The Boston event will Tuesday, May 21, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Montage, Boston (75 Arlington St.). If you don’t see your salon on the above list, maybe you should direct them to the MFNE to see how they can sign up. The education is free and could very well save lives.