Gee's Clippers hosting second free skin cancer screening to raise awareness in people of color
Gee's Clippers barbershop will host a free skin, hair and nail screening event this Saturday, sponsored by Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin health network.
This is the second year the barbershop is hosting the event. A team of health professionals from Froedtert will be available to see anyone who stops by between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on a first come, first served basis.
"There are just so many individuals out here that have things on their skin and their hair and they just cope with it, they just deal with it," Gaulien Smith, owner of Gee's Clippers, said. "They just feel that it's just their makeup and they will always have this issue without ever talking to a professional."
Dr. Shola Akinshemoyin Vaughn, a dermatologist and assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said it's important to raise awareness of skin conditions and the importance of skin cancer screenings.
Millions of people have had their skin checked for potential cancers through a program run by the American Academy of Dermatology called Spot Me Screenings, Akinshemoyin Vaughn. "Over 90% of (the people screened) are white," she said. "So, to me, that really is a healthcare disparity that I felt needed to be addressed."
White people are more likely to get skin cancer than people of color, the doctor said. It's believed that melanin, which gives people their skin color, can be protective against harmful ultraviolet rays that cause cancer.
If caught early, skin cancer can be highly-treatable. But the problem, Akinshemoyin Vaughn said, is that skin cancers in people have poorer prognoses.
"There's lots of studies trying to figure out: Is that because of lack of access to dermatology? Is it because of other social determinants of health? Is it because of delayed diagnosis because even medical professionals think: Black people, Hispanic people don't get cancer? So the the incidence is lower, but the outcomes are poorer," Akinshemoyin Vaughn said.
According to the University of Texas' MD Anderson Cancer Center, skin cancer in people of color tends to show up in places that are less exposed to the sun, like the inside of the mouth, the palms, the groin area and under the nails. Between 30% and 40% of cases appear on the soles of feet.
People should look for dark spots that increase in size, bleed of become painful, or change shape, size or color. They should also look for:
Non-healing sores (cuts or wounds)
Sores that go away and come back
Sores that do not heal quickly
Dark bands on the nails or around the nails
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The other challenge in treating skin cancer in people of color is they are less represented in clinical trials that are identifying new treatments, Akinshemoyin Vaughn said. So even if a new drug works really well in white patients, researchers and doctors might not realize right away that it has a different or lesser effect in patients of color.
"I love events like this Gee's Clippers event because it gives people in our community a chance to see that the doctors are not the enemy. We are showing up for the community because we care so much about our community members, and they can start to have more trust in the medical system and think about engaging with the medical system more," Akinshemoyin Vaughn said.
Smith said the event really is the perfect fit for his barbershop, which has long focused on being a community hub and serves a majority Black clientele. His barbers are working with hair and skin all day long, and the event is a chance for even them to learn more about the signs to look out for and how to encourage people to seek out medical help.
Last year, at the first skin cancer screening event, Froedtert medical professionals screened 66 people, and identified three possible cancers. Beyond that, the screening was a chance for people to talk with a dermatologist about a whole range of issues, from eczema to hair disorders that are more common in Black people and people of Latin American descent.
Resources also will be available to help people navigate setting up follow-up appointments if needed. For those who are uninsured or underinsured, help with access to the medical college's free medical clinic will be provided.
Call 414-454-5023 for more information about the event. Registration is not required.
Contact Devi Shastri at 414-224-2193 or DAShastri@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DeviShastri.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gee's Clippers to host free skin, hair and nail screening Saturday
