Should I buy a home NB-UVB device directly from another patient?
Short answerDo not complete a direct patient-to-patient sale first and ask questions later. Ask the manufacturer or a licensed medical-equipment supplier whether the exact serial number can be lawfully transferred, serviced, activated, and used with the buyer’s prescription. Evidence Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
Ultraviolet lamps for dermatologic disorders are FDA-regulated Class II devices. The National Psoriasis Foundation interprets the prescription-device rules as requiring a physician or licensed manufacturer or distributor to facilitate a private transfer.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
That Foundation statement is patient education, not a regulator opinion or a decision about one transaction. Federal and state rules, product terms, prescription status, and manufacturer support can differ.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
Will the manufacturer or a licensed DME supplier facilitate this transfer?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Can this serial number be activated and supported for the buyer?
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What should I verify before considering a used unit?
Short answerBefore you pay for a used unit, check: Evidence Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
- Model and serial number
- Device and lamp labels
- Current manual
- Prescription and activation process
- Recall status
- Ownership history
- Service history
- Repairs
- Lamp history
- Whether the controls work
- Electrical condition
- Safety equipment
- Cleaning instructions
- Whether the manufacturer still supports it
More detail
- Limited evidence
A useful record includes the original invoice, service tickets, and repair and lamp invoices. Add output or calibration records if the maker uses them. Keep current photos, included-parts details, and written proof that the unit can still be serviced and transferred.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
A lamp can light without proving adequate or uniform performance. Do not interpret electrical damage, substitute parts, error codes, or calibration needs yourself; use the exact manufacturer or authorized-service route.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
Can the manufacturer verify this serial and service history?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What inspection or service is required after transport?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Are all exact-model safety parts and instructions present?
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How should payment, shipping, and returns be handled?
Short answerUse a protected marketplace and payment method only after confirming the transfer route. Put the exact unit, condition, parts, inspection window, returns, freight damage, and refund timing in writing. Avoid off-platform wires, gift cards, cash apps, or cryptocurrency. Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
FTC marketplace guidance recommends checking the seller, item, payment protection, return deadline, and dispute process.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Marketplace protection does not make a medical-device transfer lawful or a unit safe. A return right may be costly or unusable if freight responsibility is unclear.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
What payment dispute protection applies?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Who pays if the unit arrives damaged or fails inspection?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What is the written return deadline?
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Can I sell or give my device to someone else?
Short answerDo not assume that a prescription, training, warranty, service access, software access, lockout support, or permission to use the device transfers to a new owner. Before selling or giving it away, check the exact unit with the manufacturer and confirm any clinical, regulatory, and local legal requirements. Evidence Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
A useful transfer record identifies the manufacturer, exact model and unit, manual revision, service history, current status, included accessories, and any recall or safety notice. Verified records should be kept separate from claims that only the seller has made.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Transfer rules, prescription requirements, software and support access, and warranties vary by product and location. Verify the seller and unit through records and official support, and ask the appropriate clinical or legal professional whether the transaction can proceed.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
Will the manufacturer still support this exact unit for another owner?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What must the new owner complete before use?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Which parts of the device history can be confirmed with records?
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More on retiring a device, disposal, recalls, and broken lamps
What should I do with a device I am ready to retire?
Short answerAsk the manufacturer how your exact device should be retired, then check local rules for electronic equipment and hazardous materials. Do not put the unit or its lamps in ordinary household trash unless the exact product guidance and local rules allow it. Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
The device body, electronics, lamps, batteries, and accessories may need different disposal routes. The manufacturer can identify the components; local authorities decide what nearby programs accept and how items must be prepared.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Rules and collection programs vary by location and can change. A recycler that takes one component or lamp type may not accept the complete device.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
Does the manufacturer offer a return program?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Which local program will accept my exact device and lamp type?
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Can I put the lamps in household trash?
Short answerDo not assume you can. Some fluorescent phototherapy lamps contain mercury and need an appropriate lamp-recycling or hazardous-material route. Read the exact lamp label and device manual, then confirm what your local collection program accepts. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends recycling mercury-containing bulbs where practical and points people to state or local requirements and collection options. The manufacturer can identify the lamp used in your exact model.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Not every light source has the same contents, and local rules differ. A product-family name cannot replace the exact lamp label, part record, or manual.
Questions for the lamp company or local disposal authority
Does my exact lamp contain mercury or another regulated material?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Which nearby facility accepts this exact lamp?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.How should I transport the lamp to that facility?
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What should I do if a lamp has already broken?
Short answerKeep people and pets away, then follow current government, local-authority, and manufacturer instructions for the exact lamp. Do not improvise a cleanup from memory. Directions for ventilation, collection, packaging, and disposal can depend on the lamp and where you live. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
The EPA publishes cleanup guidance for broken mercury-containing bulbs, and local authorities may have additional or different requirements. The device manufacturer can identify the lamp and explain what should happen to the equipment after the breakage.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Use the exact lamp label, manufacturer support, and local authority to confirm its contents, assess cleanup requirements, and determine whether the device was damaged. For an urgent exposure or injury concern, contact the appropriate local safety or medical service.
Questions for local safety authorities or the device company
Which official cleanup guidance applies to this lamp where I live?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Should I leave the device in place until the manufacturer responds?
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What if the device might be under recall?
Short answerBefore you sell, service, or discard a device, match its model and unit identifiers to the current official recall record. FDA recall record 221313, posted July 15, 2026, covers a limited group of Phothera 600/ClearLink systems; it is not a recall of every Phothera product or every home phototherapy device. Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
The regulator and manufacturer notices identify the affected units and tell owners what to do. A seller’s description or an old catalog entry cannot replace that current check.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Recall status and instructions can change. A product-family name without unit identifiers may not be enough to know whether the notice applies.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
Is my exact model and unit included in the current official record?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What should I do before transferring it?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What should I do before disposing of it?
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Can I replace a damaged lamp or repair the device myself?
Short answerDo not open, bypass, test, repair, or substitute lamps or electrical parts outside the exact current manual and authorized service route. If a lamp or assembly is damaged, stop and contact the manufacturer. Evidence Evidence Evidence This statement has a dated source and is waiting for a clinician's sign-off. Pending clinical review
More detail
- Limited evidence
The manufacturer’s current documentation and support process control lamp identity, compatibility, service, and safe handling. A part is not verified for the device just because it physically fits.
What depends on your situation
- Depends on you
Ask authorized support to inspect the damage, confirm any replacement part, and determine whether the warranty and local electrical rules permit a repair. Support for older or used devices may have changed.
Questions for the device company or local disposal authority
Which authorized service route handles my exact model and lamp?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What should I leave untouched while I wait for support?
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Applicability check
Who was studied?
These fields show what the cited evidence reports about the people and body sites behind outcome or safety claims. “Not reported” means the reviewed source omitted the field; “Pending exact source review” means SteadySkin has not made that determination yet.
Ask the manufacturer how your exact device should be retired, then check local rules for electronic equipment and hazardous materials. Do not put the unit or its lamps in ordinary household trash unless the exact product guidance and local rules allow it.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- One source is the Phothera disposal FAQ, a manufacturer page dated July 2026. The other is US EPA consumer guidance on mercury-containing bulbs. Neither reports a study population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: The Phothera FAQ says the maker does not buy, resell, accept or dispose of used devices. It points owners to local device-recycling and lamp-recycling routes. The EPA page recommends recycling mercury-containing bulbs where a local option exists. It says state and local rules can be stricter. Neither source is a study. The EPA page does not mention phototherapy lamps. Neither names the retirement route for one model in one place.
Do not assume you can. Some fluorescent phototherapy lamps contain mercury and need an appropriate lamp-recycling or hazardous-material route. Read the exact lamp label and device manual, then confirm what your local collection program accepts.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- US EPA consumer guidance, the Phothera disposal FAQ and manuals index, and one SolRx E-Series spec sheet. None reports a study population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: The EPA page recommends recycling fluorescent and other mercury-containing bulbs through a local program. It notes some states forbid putting them in the trash. It lists household bulb types and does not mention phototherapy lamps. The Phothera FAQ says its UV lamps contain mercury and should be recycled under local rules. The Solarc page identifies the lamp for its named models, while the Phothera index points to model-specific manuals. None is a study. None confirms what a particular lamp contains or which local facility accepts it. The exact lamp label and manual decide that.
Keep people and pets away, then follow current government, local-authority, and manufacturer instructions for the exact lamp. Do not improvise a cleanup from memory. Directions for ventilation, collection, packaging, and disposal can depend on the lamp and where you live.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- US EPA household cleanup guidance for a broken mercury-containing bulb, the Phothera disposal FAQ and manuals index, and one SolRx E-Series spec sheet. None reports a study population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: The EPA page gives a full set of household steps for a broken compact fluorescent lamp or other bulb with mercury. It names no phototherapy lamp. It does not cover every setting, injury, or possible exposure. The Phothera records give its disposal position and route to product manuals. The Solarc record is only a spec sheet and adds no cleanup steps. None confirms the contents of one lamp. Use the full live EPA protocol I link in the Sources section below, with guidance for the exact lamp and from the maker and local authority. This note is not a cleanup checklist.
Before you sell, service, or discard a device, match its model and unit identifiers to the current official recall record. FDA recall record 221313, posted July 15, 2026, covers a limited group of Phothera 600/ClearLink systems; it is not a recall of every Phothera product or every home phototherapy device.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- One source is a single FDA device-recall record. The other is the Phothera manuals index. Neither reports a study population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: FDA record 221313 is one Class II recall, posted 15 July 2026. Daavlin Distributing Company filed it over a software calibration fault. It covers a listed set of Phothera 600 units on one ClearLink controller software version. It is not a finding about every Phothera product or every home phototherapy device. The manufacturer page is a manuals index, not a study. Neither source shows whether a particular unit is included. The serial numbers, software version and dates inside the live record decide that, and the register changes over time.
Do not open, bypass, test, repair, or substitute lamps or electrical parts outside the exact current manual and authorized service route. If a lamp or assembly is damaged, stop and contact the manufacturer.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- Three first-party records for named home phototherapy products: the Phothera manuals index, one SolRx E-Series spec sheet, and Zerigo Health terms. None is a study or reports a population.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: The Phothera record is an index to model-specific manuals. The Solarc record lists models, lamps, electrical facts, and fuse ratings. It has no maintenance or support sections. Zerigo’s terms describe its prescription device and service. They do not cover lamp fit or repair instructions. This source set gives no repair step, replacement part, or safe-handling rule across devices. Only the exact current manual and authorized support record can establish those details for one unit.
Evidence behind this page
Sources
Each evidence badge opens the source and its limits. The full list stays available here.
- Phothera PhototherapyManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the current first-party route to Phothera device and accessory manuals and shows that instructions are model- and controller-specific.
What it does not support
It does not establish clinical suitability, comparative benefit, the condition of an individual unit, or that one manual applies to a related or legacy model; each exact linked manual and revision still requires verification.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Solarc Systems Inc.Manufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports one page of the named SolRx E-Series manual revision, its specifications page. That page carries the models covered, the narrowband waveband, the bulb type and count, the nominal irradiance figures with their stated caution, and the per-device electrical and fuse ratings. It does not support another SolRx family, confirm that this is the newest revision for an individual unit, establish clinical suitability, or prove comparative safety or effectiveness; the owner must verify the exact current manual with Solarc.
What it does not support
The linked file is that one page, not the whole manual. It does not carry the installation, protective-equipment, maintenance or support sections that the rest of the manual holds.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Zerigo Health, Inc.Manufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports Zerigo’s current first-party description of its United States prescription device, required mobile application, Member Guide, Care Guide support, data-enabled service model, transfer restrictions, and distinction between technical support and medical advice.
What it does not support
It does not independently establish comparative benefit, coverage, privacy quality, clinical suitability, or that the program terms will remain unchanged.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports that FDA posted an open Class II recall record for the exact Phothera 600/ClearLink population identified in that record and directs potentially affected owners to the firm’s official notice and technical-service route.
What it does not support
It does not apply to every Phothera product, every controller or every home phototherapy device, and it must not be used without checking the exact current model, unit identifiers, software scope, dates, and recall status in the live FDA record.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Phothera PhototherapyManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports Phothera’s current first-party statement that it does not purchase, resell, accept, or dispose of used devices and that owners should use local device-recycling and mercury-containing-lamp routes.
What it does not support
It does not establish the law or available collection service in a reader’s jurisdiction, confirm the composition of an unverified lamp, apply to another manufacturer, or authorize a person to remove or repair hardware.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports EPA’s United States consumer recommendation to use available local recycling for fluorescent and other mercury-containing lamps and its warning that state and local requirements can be stricter.
What it does not support
It does not show that every phototherapy light source contains mercury, identify an individual lamp, select a recycler, or replace current state, local, facility, or manufacturer instructions.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports current United States household guidance for keeping people and pets away and following source-specific cleanup, ventilation, collection, and local-disposal steps after a mercury-containing bulb breaks.
What it does not support
It does not confirm that an individual phototherapy lamp contains mercury, cover every commercial or clinical setting, replace local requirements, address device repair, or triage an injury or possible exposure.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the current FDA classification of ultraviolet lamps for dermatologic disorders as Class II medical devices.
What it does not support
It does not validate a marketplace listing, establish that a particular unit is genuine or cleared, determine a lawful transfer pathway, or show that a used device remains serviceable.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Electronic Code of Federal RegulationsRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the federal prescription-device labeling and distribution framework.
What it does not support
It does not decide whether a specific private transaction is lawful, replace state law, authorize a seller, transfer a prescription, or establish that a used unit is safe or supported.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- National Psoriasis FoundationPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the Foundation’s patient-facing interpretation that private transfer of a prescription phototherapy unit should be facilitated by a physician or licensed manufacturer or distributor.
What it does not support
It is not a regulator opinion, does not resolve every federal or state issue, and does not establish that a specific transaction or device is permitted, serviceable, or appropriate.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- U.S. Federal Trade CommissionRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports general US consumer guidance to check seller, product, payment, return and marketplace-protection terms before an online transaction and to preserve dispute options.
What it does not support
It does not validate a medical-device sale, inspect a unit, determine lawful transfer, replace a warranty, or guarantee recovery after fraud or damage.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.