Life Saving Haircut

For Skin Cancer Awareness Month, the UK’s leading charity Melanoma Focus has launched an awareness campaign that aims to turn an everyday routine, a haircut, into a potentially life-saving moment. The work is based on a simple insight: scalp melanomas, which are more common in men, are among the hardest to detect. The campaign was born out of an annual pro bono initiative by creative team Michele Bona, Chiara Biondi and Michael De Piano, three independent creative directors with experience across global brands, who worked together for AMVBBDO and Saatchi & Saatchi.

In late 2025, the team learned that scalp melanomas are among the hardest to detect and decided to work on this challenge as the focus of their next project.
From this insight, a simple question emerged: who regularly sees what we can’t? The answer is: barbers. They work in close contact with customers’ heads, necks and scalps every day. While many barbers lack the basic knowledge to recognize early signs of skin cancers, 92% of them say they are willing to learn these life-saving skills.
The team worked to develop the campaign idea, partnering with Melanoma Focus and others in the industry, volunteering their time and talent to bring it to the widest possible audience in the most effective way they could.

Melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the UK. It can be deadly, but it’s easier to treat if it is diagnosed early. However, every year, more than 19,000 new cases of melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK alone. Most can be treated successfully if detected early. Research shows that in men, about 1 in 4 cases of melanoma are found in hard-to-spot areas such as the scalp and neck, which is why they are sometimes called “invisible killers”.

Chris Ward, owner of Huckle Barbershop in London, said:

“Back in 2018, while working at my shop on Old Street, I was cutting a regular’s hair. As I parted his hair, I noticed a mole on the top of his scalp that I hadn’t seen before. Over the months, it appeared irregular and seemed to have changed in both shape and size. I eventually mentioned it to him and suggested that he have it checked by a doctor, just to be safe. He took the advice and went for a medical examination. The mole was removed, and the tests later confirmed that it was melanoma. Thankfully, it had been caught in time”.

Lisa Andrews, a barber from L.A.Barbers in Widley, added:

“I’ve been running my salon for 16 years when, during a haircut, I noticed an unusual mark near a regular client’s hairline. Because we knew each other well, I suggested he get it checked. He mentioned it to his GP, was referred for removal, and it turned out to be skin cancer. I’m really glad I spoke up - it meant it was treated in time.”
This led to the creation of “The Life Saving Haircut”, a free handbook for barbers that won’t teach you how to cut hair, but to spot potential signs of skin cancers. Developed with experts, the guide will provide barbers with the right guidance to start a conversation with customers.
The book’s design was led by Michele Bona, an Art Director and graphic designer who collaborates with agencies and clients across Europe, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The project was further enriched by the contribution of editorial consultant Margherita Rubini, who brought years of experience in the publishing industry.

“With this guide, we wanted to adopt a more conversational tone of voice, ensuring that the science behind skin cancer felt more understandable and accessible to everyone,” said Michael De Piano, copywriter for the project.

“We wanted the guide to feel visually striking and engaging, evoking the aesthetic of an independent editorial magazine while remaining clearly structured and colour-coded, so that information would always be easy to navigate. For this project, we collaborated with illustrator David Callow, who created what we called the ‘Hairy Type’: a beautifully handcrafted and elegant alphabet made entirely from locks of hair, which we used for “The alphabet of Melanoma” section. Six barbershops from across the UK contributed images to the publication. “We wanted the guide to feel authentic and truly connected to the barbering community, which is why we chose to feature real people and real barbershops rather than relying on AI-generated imagery. It was incredible to see how each shop supported the project so generously, putting competition aside for a greater cause.” Added Michele Bona.

Finally, the book includes step-by-step guidance for barbers on how to check for unusual or suspicious moles while combing or cutting a client’s hair. The team chose an illustrative approach inspired by Victorian medical books, reinterpreted with a contemporary twist.

Life Saving Haircut

Client: Melanoma Focus
Creative Director / Art Director: Michele Bona
Creative Directors / Copywriters: Chiara Biondi, Michael De Piano
Editorial Consultant: Margherita Rubini
Typography Illustrator: David Callow

THE GUIDE CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE