Industry veteran calls for better mole and skin cancer early detection training in clinics
With the recent announcement from The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) that at least 40% of British people experienced sunburn during 2022’s heatwave, industry veteran Anna McCartney is calling for all clinics to update their skin surveillance training procedures.
The Élan Laser Clinic Group chief executive, who is an ardent advocate for sun awareness, also emphasised the importance of Mole And Skin Cancer Early Detection (MASCED) training for spotting signs of skin cancer early.
The call to action is particularly pertinent as McCartney has first-hand experience of how such practices can save lives. She was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, the UK’s second most common form of skin cancer, in 2021.
“Skincare education for therapists and patients is essential in the fight against potentially fatal skin conditions such as skin cancer, and something that the entire team at Élan Laser Clinics is completely passionate about,” reveals McCartney. “Our chosen careers leave us in a privileged position to educate our patients and clients about potential changes to their skin, that they may not otherwise have noticed and that allows them to seek further advice from their healthcare professionals.”
“[Élan] supports the BAD’s Sun Awareness campaign and the Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity by ensuring that all skincare professionals at Élan Laser Clinics undertake MASCED accreditation skin awareness training,” continues McCartney. “This is not used as a diagnostic tool, but rather to equip our professionals with skin surveillance skills that could help them to notice subtle changes to their client’s skin and suspicious lesions that clients should seek medical attention for. By providing this training for staff, we are empowering our professionals to become powerful advocates in the fight against the UK’s most common cancer and potentially save lives.”
As well as encouraging more clinics to introduce robust MASCED training, McCartney is calling for the industry to raise awareness about the dangers of sunbeds and ‘sun–worshipping’ among their client base too.
“As a former sunbed user and ‘sun-worshipper’, little did I know that twenty years later I would pay the price,” explains McCartney. “Thankfully my cancer has been successfully treated. Others aren’t so lucky, and my experience is not something that I would want others to have to experience – especially as it’s so avoidable. While most skin cancers can be easily and successfully treated, if allowed to grow these lesions can become disfiguring, dangerous and even deadly. Untreated SCCs, for example, can grow into deeper layers of the skin and spread to other parts of the body.”
“SPF education is vital, and sunbeds should be banned as far as I am concerned,” McCartney concludes. “They have no place in the world of beauty and cause more damage than a tan is ever worth. Client education is absolutely key to early detection and given my experience… I feel a great responsibility. Not just to our patients, but also to our staff, who I want to equip with skills and knowledge that could potentially be life–saving. The damage was done when education wasn’t as commonplace or comprehensive as it is today, but it was avoidable and I’m on a mission to make sure it stays that way.”
