Frequently Asked Questions
Daavlin warrants its lamps for sixty (60) days against defects in material and workmanship and to operate at the time of initial installation in an electrical circuit having the correct characteristics for proper lamp operation. No warranty is made as to useful lamp life or as to reduction in ultraviolet output due to any cause.
It is important to know that some topicals may actually hinder treatment. For example, some lotions contain UV absorbing ingredients similar to those used in sunscreens and may block much of the benefit of phototherapy treatment.
Other topicals and medications may photosensitize your skin. Watch out for lotions containing photosensitizing agents or essential oils such as lime, lemon, or orange. Such ingredients could cause an unexpected erythemal reaction when exposed to the ultraviolet energy delivered during a phototherapy treatment. In addition, coal tar, psoralens, and retinoids will consistently photosensitive your skin to UV light. For a detailed list of photosensitizers, visit this link: https://www.daavlin.com/dont-see-red-know-these-photosensitizers/. We recommend speaking with your doctor about topicals and medications that may impact your phototherapy treatments.
It’s usually best to keep uninvolved skin covered with clothing or sunscreen during your treatments, but follow your doctor’s advice. The most important thing about covering “healthy” skin is to be consistent, and always use the same covering techniques for each treatment. (External genitalia should be covered during PUVA therapy.)
No, Daavlin does not accept returns for phototherapy devices. Our phototherapy devices are prescribed devices—similar to a prescription drug. We are not able to resell used products; therefore, we do not have a buy-back program.
Every Daavlin phototherapy device has a label near the power inlet with a voltage and frequency specification. If the voltage of the country that you are traveling to matches the label, you may use it. If you would like to use your device in countries with a different voltage, contact Daavlin technical support for more information. Depending on the exact machine you have, there are a range of possible solutions.
Yes, the purchase of home phototherapy devices or new lamps requires a prescription from your doctor. If you need help finding a doctor in your area, please take a look at our list of dermatology clinics.
Technically, your phototherapy device will fade materials—similar to how sunlight fades clothing. However, it takes years of extended exposure to see a noticeable difference.
If you are a patient, please contact your patient representative to check the status of your order. Clinical customers should contact their account representative to check the status of an order or installation.
- Touch the screen to awaken it. You will see the Daavlin Let's be Clear logo.
- Touch the screen again and enter your unlock code.
- Press the blue arrow to the right. You will see a screen that says Treat Patient or Lock/Sleep.
- In the upper, right-hand corner of the screen there is a Settings icon in a grey circle. Press the Settings icon to open the Service main menu.
- Select the Machine Info tab. On the next screen in the upper, right-hand corner, select the Treatment Remaining tab.
- Once you have the number of treatments remaining you will need to press the X to exit. On the next screen you can press the Exit tab in the lower, right-hand corner. On the next screen, press the Exit tab again. Your device should then be back at the Daavlin Let's be Clear screen.
If your device is in Guided Mode:
- Touch the screen to awaken it. You will see the Daavlin Let's be Clear logo.
- Touch the screen again and enter your unlock code.
- Press the blue arrow to the right. You will see a screen that asks you about your previous treatment. In the upper, right-hand corner of the screen there is a Settings icon in a grey circle. Press the Settings icon to open the Service main menu.
- Once you have the number of treatments remaining you will need to press the X to exit. On the next screen you can press the Exit tab in the lower, right-hand corner. On the next screen, press the Exit tab again. Your device should then be back at the Daavlin Let's be Clear screen.
We understand there is no standard treatment solution for everyone with a photoresponsive disease. That is why we have a multitude of different devices with specific characteristics that make them ideal for a particular scenario. To learn more about our devices and which one may be best suited for you, visit our products page.
The length of time varies from patient to patient and between conditions. Typically psoriasis patients will see much faster results than vitiligo patients. The most important thing is to be consistent with your treatments, and to follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
We have created a video tutorial to help you uncrate and set up your 7 Series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPSjMQ4oENg&t=4s
If you no longer use or want your unit, you may dispose of it locally.
Lamp Disposal
Daavlin recommends that UV lamps, which contain mercury, be recycled in compliance with your local
regulations, and not left in the device due to the risk of harm to others. If you are not sure how to dispose of your device’s lamps, please contact your local waste/recycling service and ask them about fluorescent lamp recycling in your area.
Device Disposal
Daavlin CANNOT purchase or resell used devices due to regulatory restrictions. Customers who no
longer wish to use their phototherapy device may dispose of it on their own (with the lamps removed) through
a local scrap metal dealer/recycler or return it to Daavlin for disposal.
To return your device to Daavlin:
- Notify the technical support (800-DAAVLIN) that you are returning your device for disposal. Be prepared to provide the device’s serial number. Customers are responsible for shipping costs.
- Write "FOR DISPOSAL" on the outside of your return unit’s container.
Note: Daavlin cannot facilitate the sale or donation of a used phototherapy unit.
For best results, make sure all makeup or anything covering your face has been removed. Additionally, since the face is almost always exposed to light, it may have “photoadaptation,” meaning it has become used to this light exposure. Ask your dermatologist if you could benefit from a higher treatment dosage.
With a dosimetry machine, there is no real advantage to allowing your machine to warm up first. In situations where a machine is kept in a very cold environment such as a garage, a 5-minute warmup may allow faster treatment times.
You can find your warranty period in the "Warranty" section of your device's manual. Your warranty begins at the point of installation, typically the date the unit is shipped from Daavlin.
Your phototherapy device is warranted to be free from defects in workmanship and material for the duration listed in your manual, under normal use and service (excluding lamps). Daavlin will replace or repair any parts that appear to have been defective in material and/or workmanship and, for the term of the warranty, shall bear all costs related to such defect(s) including the cost of parts, labor and shipping. Daavlin may require that smaller units be sent back to the factory for repair.
This warranty does not apply to any unit which has been used, repaired or altered outside the factory in any way so as to affect the design, or which has been subject to misuse negligence or accident, or operated in any way other than in accordance with our operating instructions. The warranty does not extend to repairs made necessary by use of parts or accessories not recommended by the manufacturer. This warranty does not cover damage in transit.
Your unit is likely experiencing a thermal cutout due to not observing the DermaPal's duty cycle.
Your DermaPal is equipped with a safety feature that will automatically turn off your device if it gets too hot—typically just after the 10-minute mark. Note that different environments may affect how quickly the device reaches the shutoff temperature (an air conditioned room vs. a hot and humid porch). This automatic shutoff can create wear and tear on the unit over time, so we strongly recommend letting the unit rest at the 10-minute mark to avoid this automatic shutoff. If your are treating several areas on your body, you will need to pause treatments and let the unit cool down 10 minutes for every 10-minute window of operation. This is called a duty cycle. If you forget to complete a duty cycle and the unit shuts off automatically, you will need to let it cool down for 30 minutes before using it again.
Please contact technical support if your device arrived with missing items. They will be happy to assist you.
Please have your doctor submit a request for additional exposures for your phototherapy device using our FlexRx Refill Request Form. We will provide your doctor (or you, if your doctor requests it) with an updated code to enter into your device.
This means that your treatment is paused. Press ENTER to resume or END to cancel the treatment.
Please contact our customer service team if your unit was damaged in shipping. They will be happy to assist you.
If your machine’s controller is not turning on, make sure the machine is connected to power and the circuit breaker (if equipped) is turned on. Then unplug your machine and make sure that the lamps are securely seated in the lamp holders. If only some of the lamps are not working, swap them with the ones that are working. If the lamp(s) won’t work at all, you may have a bad lamp(s) and should contact technical support.
Please contact technical support if your unit sustains damage. Our technical support representatives will determine if your damage is covered by warranty and provide you with repair options.
Occasional or temporary redness may be normal if it resolves by the next treatment time. If your redness is sustained, ask your doctor if you should reduce your treatment times.
Please contact our service team. One of our friendly representatives will be in touch with your preventative maintenance options.
The power of the lamps decrease with use. If your treatments are no longer working, you may need to replace the lamps. Contact our service sales team to inquire about new lamps.
Your machine was prescribed with a feature called FlexRx Exposure Limiting Software. This feature allows your prescriber to keep track of how many treatments you have done, so they can follow up with your progress.
When your device shows the word “PASS”, it means that you have used up all of the prescribed treatments, and your prescriber just needs to order you a “refill” (similar to running out of a medication, and your doctor calls the pharmacy to order a refill). Once you notify your prescriber’s office that you have used all of your treatments, they should fill out our FlexRx Refill Request Form. As soon as we hear from your prescriber, we will call you with a brand-new, 4-digit number or “PASS” number. You will enter the new number into your device, and it will automatically reset with the new allotment of treatments.
Every device has a different level of therapeutic output. Follow your doctor’s directions for dosing advice. If you have questions about how to program your machine to deliver the doses your doctor provides, please contact technical support.
Choose a dry, enclosed room where others will not be exposed to the light. Optimum treatment times and lamp life will occur when the machine is kept in a room temperature area that is neither extremely hot nor cold.
If your screen says “CODE,” it is asking for the unlock code for your unit. If you do not know your unlock code, check your manual or email technical support. If your screen says "PASS," it is asking for a FlexRx refill code.
You must enter your unlock your unit before entering a FlexRx code or starting treatments.
You can find the output of your device on the yellow Calibration/Output Certification that was included with your device. The output information is located under the "calibration/output data" section on the certificate.
If you have a DermaPal, your device's output can be found in the device manual.
Please consult your device’s manual for cleaning instructions specific to your device. The cleaning instructions provided in your device’s manual are effective against most viruses, including the coronavirus. In addition, we recommend sanitizing the device between treatments. If you have additional questions, please contact our technical support team.
We recommend calibrating your device once a year or every 100 hours of use, whichever occurs first. If you have questions about calibrating your device, contact technical support.
We take on the agonizing chore of dealing with the insurance company from start to finish—at no charge or obligation to purchase. However, we cannot provide definitive information on insurance coverage until an order is received. Once the order is received, you will be contacted by a patient representative with further details.