Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is one method for decontamination of N-95 filtering facepiece respirators to facilitate reuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other techniques include hydrogen peroxide vaporization, microwave-generated steaming, and dry heating.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a demand for safe and highly effective decontamination techniques for both personal protective equipment (PPE) and hospital and operating rooms. The gradual lifting of lockdown...
Phototherapy is a safe and effective treatment for many dermatologic conditions. With the advent of novel biologics and small molecule inhibitors, it is important to critically evaluate the role of phototherapy in dermatology. Surveys have shown that many dermatology residency programs do not dedicate time to teaching residents how to prescribe or administer phototherapy. Limitations of phototherapy include access to a center, time required for treatments, and insurance approval. Home phototherapy, a viable option, is also underused. However, it should be emphasized that modern phototherapy has been in use for over 40 years, has an excellent safety profile, and does not require laboratory monitoring. It can be safely combined with many other treatment modalities, including biologics and small molecule inhibitors. In addition, phototherapy costs significantly less than these novel agents. Dermatologists are the only group of physicians who have the expertise and proper training to deliver this treatment modality to our patients. Therefore, to continue to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care, it is imperative that phototherapy be maintained as an integral part of the dermatology treatment armamentarium. ( J Am Acad Dermatol 2021;84:479-85.)
Funding sources: None. Conflicts of interest: Drs Lyons and Narla are subinvestigators for Biofrontera. Dr Ozog is an investigator for Biofrontera. Dr Lim has participated as a speaker in general educational session for Ra Medical System. Drs Lim and Hamzavi are investigators for the Light Treatment Effectiveness (LITE) study, which is funded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and home phototherapy machines are provided by Daavlin. Authors Park-Miller, Ohli, Levesque, and Torres and have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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