1. Accuracy depends on preparation.
Clean the Skin: The skin should be clean, but it should not have been cleaned lately (preferably one to two hours ago). False negatives may result from freshly cleaned skin.
Remove Products: Make sure there is no perfume, lotions, deodorant, or cosmetics in the region. Results may be skewed because many of these contain substances that glow when exposed to UV light.
Warm Up: After turning on the lamp, let it a minute or so to warm up.
Darken the Space: The space needs to be totally dark. Turn off all lights and close the blinds. Use the black “shroud” or drape that comes with your machine to shield the patient’s head and the bulb from outside light.
2. The Examination Distance: Keep the lamp between 4 and 5 inches (10 and 12 cm) from the skin.
Eye Safety: To avoid corneal discomfort from UV light, the subject of the examination must wear protective goggles or keep their eyes closed.
Quick Check: To detect fluorescence, all you have to do is glance at the skin for a few seconds.
