Examining the Role of Estheticians in Skin Cancer Surveillance

Background: Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer are significant causes of mortality. Previous studies regarding skin cancer education in nonmedical professionals have shown increases in favorable attitudes and likelihood of approaching clients about concerning lesions with training. However, few studies have investigated the use of estheticians in skin cancer screening.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop an education course to train estheticians to recognize concerning lesions, to assess the baseline knowledge of estheticians toward skin cancer detection, and to determine the effect that our curriculum has on lesion detection.

Methods: We administered an education course and corresponding cross-sectional surveys to estheticians to evaluate current knowledge and assess for improvements in attitudes and behaviors regarding skin cancer detection.

Results: Of 504 estheticians, most estheticians (85-98%) indicated the correct level of concern for "extremely concerning" lesions on pre- and post-training surveys. Estheticians were more likely to recommend that their client see a medical professional if they previously attended a course on skin cancer (p = 0.012) or had greater than 1 year of work experience (p < 0.001). After completion of the training module, most participants felt "very comfortable," suggesting that clients see a doctor for a suspicious lesion.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that estheticians are capable of indicating the appropriate level of concern for abnormal lesions. Estheticians may serve as a valuable screening partner for dermatologists in the detection of skin cancer.