Creating an effective curriculum for cosmetology students to promote early detection of melanoma in salons and barber shops: a scoping review
Authors: Marsh M. Bryn 
Published: September 2024

This scoping review aims to summarize available research literature on previous skin cancer educational programs among hair professionals or cosmetology students to inform the creation of an effective cosmetology school curriculum that will promote early detection of melanoma on the scalp and neck. Cutaneous melanoma on the scalp and neck is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, and the number of new cases continues to rise. Hair professionals can detect this cancer by regularly inspecting the skin under these hair-bearing areas. Providing skin cancer education to cosmetology students can potentially affect significant changes in screening and referral practices, improving the stage at which this cancer is treated. All articles in this study involved hair professionals or cosmetology students in the context of hair salons, barbershops, or cosmetology schools. These articles included a focus on skin cancer or melanoma education. A systematic search of electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) for full-length, peer-reviewed journal articles written in English in the last 20 years was performed in August 2022 and January 2023. Articles were initially screened by title, abstract, and keywords, followed by full-length review and reference scanning. Data were systematically extracted from included articles, summarized, and presented in narrative and table form. Search terms included “hairdressers, barbers, cosmetology students, salons, barbershops, cosmetology schools, education, curriculum, intervention, knowledge, skin cancer, and melanoma.” Thirteen sources of evidence were included in the review, all of which were empirical research studies. Nine studies evaluated the effectiveness of a skin cancer educational intervention for hair professionals or cosmetology students, and 4 assessed skin cancer knowledge, attitudes, or beliefs in this population. All interventions improved knowledge, confidence, screening behaviors, or referral practices in hair professionals or cosmetology students. No specific educational modality was more effective than another, no apparent difference was seen with different intervention lengths, and the type of information included within each educational modality was rarely discussed. Most hair professionals believe they lack adequate training or confidence in skin cancer detection and are interested in becoming educated on this subject. Short videos or live lectures were the preferred skin cancer educational modalities among hair professionals and cosmetology students. Brief skin cancer educational programs improve cosmetology students and hair professionals’ knowledge about melanoma and screening practices. This population has a perceived and measured need for skin cancer education. Including this type of program in the cosmetology school curriculum can effectively disseminate information to these individuals, leading to earlier diagnosis of melanomas on the scalp and neck, thus decreasing the mortality rate of this disease. Further research, including larger, diverse samples and more rigorous study designs, is needed to bolster the results of the review findings.