Early Detection Starts in the Salon: BABTAC Champions Beauty Professionals in Skin Cancer Awareness

With Skin Cancer Awareness Month underway, BABTAC (The British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology) is supporting a major industry push on UV safety, responding to new findings in the APPG UV Safety Inquiry report, powered by the British Beauty Council, that highlights the crucial role beauty professionals play in early skin cancer detection in the salon. 

Melanoma cases in the UK have risen 2.5× since the 1990s and are projected to reach 26,500 a year by 2038, according to Cancer Research UK. With awareness still low, BABTAC is taking action to help make early detection part of everyday beauty care, not just a medical conversation.

To support safer habits and earlier diagnosis, BABTAC has partnered with national skin cancer charity Skcin to raise awareness among beauty professionals and highlight the tools and training available to recognise early warning signs that could help save lives. Hair, health and beauty professionals who see their clients regularly - often far more frequently than a GP - are able to spot small changes in skin.

As part of this collaboration, Skcin have also provided BABTAC members with some complimentary and discounted training options on their Accredited and Certified Training. The MASCED (Melanoma and Skin Cancer Early Detection) Accreditation teaches how to recognise suspicious moles and skin changes - often long before a client would notice themselves - something the APPG report identifies as a vital, underused public‑health resource - and recommends they seek a professional examination as soon as possible.

Lesley Blair MBE CEO of BABTAC & CIBTAC says, “skin cancer is largely preventable, yet awareness in the UK is still far too low. Beauty professionals see their clients more often than any other part of the wellbeing sector, which puts us in a powerful position to spot early changes. Training beauty professionals to recognise early warning signs is one of the simplest, most effective ways we can make a real difference.” 

Sources: cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer