Skin Deep Radiance

As the largest organ in the human body, it’s no secret that skin is important, and taking care of it should be on everyone’s wellness priority list. With more than a decade of dermatology practice under her belt, Dara Spearman, MD, FAAD, helps patients address all skincare needs, keeping their overall skin health top-of-mind. 

Raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Spearman practiced dermatology in a private practice for a few years before being recruited to Parkview Health in 2016. She began the dermatology department there, as well as the Melanoma/Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary program within the Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute, which she led with great success through 2023. Since then, Dr. Spearman has opened her own practice and leads the highly skilled and qualified team at Radiant Dermatology Associates.

Dr. Spearman and her staff of 14 provide a variety of medical and cosmetic treatments. With a physician assistant, Katie Byers, and two estheticians, Stephanie and Emily, on board, they take care of everything from acne, eczema, psoriasis and skin cancer to facials, laser treatments and micro-needling.

“Dermatology is a unique specialty — there’s a medical side and a cosmetic side to it,” she explains. “My dermatologic approach begins with the biology of the skin and how cells function, to how antioxidants work within the skin’s cellular structure to impact a person’s overall skin health.”

Throughout her tenure, Dr. Spearman has gained vast knowledge of melanoma/skin cancer care through the sheer volume of cases that she has seen. In general, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, making it the most common type of cancer.

“When I began practicing in Fort Wayne I was shocked at the prevalence of skin cancer here. Fort Wayne, like much of the Midwest, is still quite an agricultural community. We have a lot of farmers and people who spend a lot of time outdoors, in the sun for their professions,” she says. “I see many patients who have advanced forms of skin cancer and are also under the care of an oncologist. I work closely with the oncologists in a multidisciplinary fashion and truly love taking care of those patients. It’s very meaningful work.”

Cathy Diamente, a long-time patient of Dr. Spearman’s, has experienced this care first-hand.

“With a family history of skin cancer, I came to the practice as a cancer patient,” she reflects. “Most importantly, Dr. Spearman’s medical intervention sent me home to my family, but she also cared for me as a patient and not just a condition. Her work resulted in a virtually invisible scar in a very prominent place. I was thrilled to receive similar attention to my specific needs on the aesthetic side of the practice. Having an expert dermatologist who works directly with the estheticians to improve overall skin health is of immeasurable value.”

Dr. Spearman says her practice is uniquely different from others because she is very involved with everything that occurs with the patient, including the cosmetic work.

“I am the only one in the office who administers fillers and injectables like Botox®,” she says. “We offer laser therapy and that is also under my direction, as well as that of our physician assistant. Our estheticians are personally trained by me and administer many treatments on their own after the treatment plan is set.”

Investing in laser technology has proven successful, as it performs everything from hair removal to skin tightening. Dr. Spearman stresses the importance of making sure that those who administer and perform these readily available technologies have the appropriate experience and medical understanding onsite. 

“We’ve had patients come in that have had adverse outcomes from treatments. Many of them are reluctant to do it again, until they see the great results we can offer. We see both men and women for our myriad of cosmetic treatments,” she says.

Contrary to the stereotype that cosmetic treatments are about vanity, patients opt for procedures for reasons that span beyond superficial appearances.

“I see patients who are well into their 50s and are still embarrassed from the scars they have from acne that went untreated when they were teenagers,” says Dr. Spearman. “You should never feel badly about wanting to look your best. We wear makeup, get our hair cut and colored, and we don’t think anything about it. There is no problem with doing things that are safe, that you can afford and are comfortable with. It makes a huge difference in people’s lives.”

“I’m approaching 60, have blonde hair, light skin and have multiple sun spots, so I started going to see Dr. Spearman for skin checks,” says Vicki Grabowski. “I ended up needing to have a couple of things removed and then I stayed on a regimen with Dr. Spearman. I want to make sure my skin not only looks healthy, but truly is healthy. I started doing some skin rejuvenation treatments on my face and my neck and it has been phenomenal. Throughout this process, Dr. Spearman and I have become friends and I now see her on a regular basis.”

The latter is extremely important to Dr. Spearman and the Radiant Dermatology staff. Long-term patient relationships are of the utmost value, whether it’s someone coming in for skin cancer treatment or a Diamond Glow facial. 

“My goal is for us to work together for the health of your skin on a long-term basis,” she says. “Many patients who see me have multiple issues they want to address. We start out with the one or two most important things, and then have them come back in a timely manner to see how that’s going and address other concerns. I am a big proponent of educating my patients not only about their treatments, but also about insurance and how we can work with them from a cost-perspective. A lot of people are simply unaware of how that works, so I try to guide them through that.”

It comes as no surprise and is not uncommon for patients to drive long distances to see Dr. Spearman. In fact, she still has patients from Michigan who travel to see her. With that in mind, she is planning to expand her practice to other locations, particularly north of Fort Wayne. 

“The trip from Whitley County to the Radiant Dermatology office is consistently worth every mile,” says Diamente. “Dr. Spearman and her staff inspire trust and consistently back up that inspiration with results. They are a true blessing to the community.”

“She knows her stuff,” says Grabowski. “I will only go to Dr. Spearman for my treatments. I always joke that she needs to clone herself because she does such a wonderful job and I am always recommending her to people.” 

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