What is Allied Health?
Allied Health is a committee within DIGA whose mission is:
- To advocate for skin cancer prevention and early detection by educating allied health professionals and personal appearance workers about the clinical signs and appearance of skin cancer
The Allied Health committee meets this mission by providing skin cancer education and training sessions to allied health professionals and personal appearance workers in the community. Allied health professionals and personal appearance workers include a number of professions and non-medical workers who have regular contact with the skin and who are therefore in a position to help recognize the early clinical signs and appearance of skin cancers. Examples include, but are not limited to, cosmetologists, barbers, lifeguards, manicurists, and pedicurists.
Why Allied Health?
More than 1.3 million skin cancers are diagnosed every year in the United States! While these numbers are growing, it is important to remember that skin cancer can often be prevented – and in many cases, cured – with early detection and appropriate treatment.
The United States Department of Labor reports that barbers, cosmetologists, and other personal appearance workers held approximately 821,900 jobs in 2008 – including about 684,200 barber and cosmetologist positions, 76,000 manicurists and pedicurists, 38,800 skin care specialists, and 22,900 shampooers. Furthermore, positions for personal appearance workers are expected to grow by 20% from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
Allied Health Professionals and Personal Appearance Workers can help play an important role in skin cancer prevention by:
- Paying attention to suspicious moles or lesions on their client’s skin
- Suggesting that their client see a dermatologist to evaluate for early signs of cutaneous disease including SCC, BCC, and melanoma.
How Can You Help?
- Download the available resources to learn more about our Allied Health Outreach Program.
- Work together with members of your DIG to contact local hair salons, barber shops, spa facilities, etc. to see if they would be interested in hearing a presentation about Skin Cancer Prevention.
- Alternatively, visit local Allied Health Facilities and provide them with the below Brochure detailing the importance of skin cancer detection and suggesting ways to help identify suspicious lesions.
- Offer to give a 20-30 min PowerPoint presentation on the importance of skin cancer prevention and the identification of suspicious lesions.
Early detection of skin cancer saves lives!