### What is a Wood's Lamp Exam? A Wood's lamp exam involves using a special light that emits long-wave ultraviolet light to detect fluorescence in the skin and hair. This exam is painless and safe. ### When is it Used? A Wood's lamp can be used to detect various skin conditions, including: - **Bacterial or Fungal Infections:** It can identify infections like tinea capitis (a fungal infection causing baldness and scaling) and ringworm. - **Skin Pigment Irregularities:** It helps in diagnosing conditions like vitiligo, where the skin loses its color in patches. - **Porphyria:** A group of inherited disorders affecting the skin and nervous system, showing up as red-pink under the lamp. - **Pityrosporum Folliculitis:** An infection of hair follicles caused by yeast, appearing yellow-green under the lamp. - **Bacterial Infections:** Infections from bacteria like Pseudomonas appear bright green. - **Head Lice:** Live nits glow white, and empty nit cases look gray. ### What to Expect? During the exam, the doctor will darken the room and shine the Wood's lamp on your skin. Normal, healthy skin appears blue and does not glow. Areas of concern may show different colors: - **White Spots:** Thick skin - **Yellow Spots:** Oily skin - **Purple:** Dehydrated skin - **Bright Blue-White or Yellow-Green:** Vitiligo - **Red-Pink:** Porphyria - **Yellow-Green:** Pityrosporum folliculitis - **Bright Green:** Bacterial infections ### Safety The Wood's lamp exam is safe and does not damage the skin or cause sunburn. The examination is brief and unlikely to cause irritation, even in light-sensitive individuals. However, you should close your eyes during the exam to avoid any risk to your cornea.