MDNews - Minnesota

Charles E. Crutch eld III, MD, is a graduate of the Mayo Clinic Medical School and a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Crutchfi eld is an annual selection in the "Top Doctors" issue of Mpls.St. Paul magazine. He is also the only dermatologist to have been selected as a "Best Doctor for Women" by Minnesota Monthly magazine since the inception of the survey. Dr. Crutchfi eld has been selected as one of the "Best Doctors in America," an honor awarded to only 4% of all practicing physicians. Dr. Crutchfi eld is the co-author of a children's book on sun protection and dermatology textbook. He is a member of the AA National Medical Honor Society, an expert consultant for WebMD and CNN, and a recipient of the Karis Humanitarian Award from the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. SE A L O F A PPR O V A L A EST H ET I C A Boy's Acne Saved His Father's Life! Top Doctor Making a Difference Board certi ed dermatologist Charles E. Crutch eld III, M.D., was treating 17-year-old Owen Claugherty's skin when he noticed a funny looking mole on the arm of Owen's dad. As a normal teenager, Owen was struggling with acne. So Steven Claugherty took his son into Dr. Crutch eld's dermatology o ce for treatment. "As I was leaving the exam room, just out of the corner of my eye, I saw the father's arm," Dr. Crutch eld said. "He was putting a magazine back in the rack on the wall, and as he put his arm up, I brie y saw a dark spot." Steven says he's just lucky he made a bad choice of clothes on that visit to the doctor. "I happened to wear a short-sleeved shirt on a winter day," he said. "I walked out of the room, and a little voice inside said, 'You'd better go look at that mole on his arm.' I thought to myself, 'it's really busy today, we are running behind schedule, and after all, it wasn't even his appointment. I'll make a note on the chart to look at it during his next Appointment," Dr. Crutch eld said. "I started walking down the hall, and that little voice got louder: 'Hey, I told you, go back in there and check it out.'" Steven said he hadn't even noticed the changes in the mole on his arm, but Dr. Crutch eld couldn't let it rest. Dr. Crutch eld re-entered the exam room and recommended he check out the spot. " anks, but I'm going back to work,'" Owen's father said. Dr. Crutch eld gently but rmly stressed the importance of looking at the suspicious mole, so Owen insisted his dad let Dr. Crutch eld examine it. As it turns out, Dr. Crutch eld performed a biopsy on it that very day. "Low and behold, a couple days later I got a call from the dermatopathologist, and she said, 'It's a thin melanoma. You caught it early. He is very lucky.'" Dr. Crutch eld explained. Melanoma makes up 80 percent of skin cancer deaths. Claugherty's was caught so early, he just needed a minor excision and a few stitches. And it was all thanks to a few pimples. "He came in for his son's acne and it ended up saving his life," Dr. Crutch eld said. Steven Claugherty is feeling much better, but now he is checking his skin monthly for changing moles, employing sun protective techniques for himself and his family, and having a general medical exam yearly. He also plans to have Dr. Crutch eld check his skin on a regular basis. PREVENT SKIN CANCER BY BEING "SUNSMART" Always apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or greater to all exposed skin 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every one to two hours, more if either actively perspiring or swimming. Use sun protective clothing whenever possible. (Coolibar. com has great sun-protective clothing.) Dr. Crutch eld is the author of a children's book on sun protection, Little Charles Hits a Home Run!, available on Amazon.com. Dr. Crutch eld advises patients if they notice a mole changing in any way, size, color, shape or elevation, or if a spot bleeds and does not heal on its own in 3 weeks, they should bring it to the attention of their doctor. e rule is: "See Spot, See Spot Change, See a Dermatologist". To see a complimentary video, visit www.AcneSavesLife.com. C R U T C H F I E L D D E R M A T O L O G Y 1185 Tow n Centre D rive, Suite 101, E agan | 651. 20 9. 36 0 0 | w w w.Cr utchf ie ldD er mato lo g y.com C R U T C H F I E L D D E R M A T O L O G Y

• Cover