Redefines Convenience

A DermLite user writes: "I used to have problems doing dermatoscopy/nevoscopy at the VA clinic (which I attend 2 half days a week). We see many atypical nevi, lentigos, lentigo malignas and melanomas there, but it never seemed worth the effort to cart the nevoscope the 3 or 4 blocks from the University Clinic with it's attendant power supply (or even a dermatoscope with or without it's charger!) to the VA twice a week, every week. Some weeks I don't even need it, so it would be a lot of effort for the privilege of always having a dermatoscope when I need it. Even worse was the thought of buying an expensive dermatoscope and trying to find a place where the scope or the charger base would not walk off some week.

The DermLite has changed all that. Now I simply slip this compact instrument in my white coat pocket (actually it stays there all the time, and I never notice it unless it happens to fall out when I bend over). This means that effectively, I always have a dermatoscope handy wherever I am, be it the private clinic at the University or seeing patients at the VA with the residents. It is so lightweight that I never notice it until I reach for it, which is more and more often. All this for about the same cost or less than a traditional dermatoscope!

It is also possible to take reasonable quality nevoscopic photos through a DermLite with my trusty Nikon 950 digital camera (see below). These photos are good enough to show to my residents during our weekly dermatoscopy/digital photo review sessions, although they are not a substitute for good nevoscopic photographs.

For anyone who has tried dermatoscopy, but for the most part gave it up because of the time and trouble it took for you to leave the room and go find it, this is the instrument for you. For those who are already using a pocket magnifying glass or a lighted magnifying glass, why not have a dermatoscope for the same effort it takes you to carry and use your trusty magnifying loupe? I sincerely think that if you ever try a DermLite you will never go back to your old lighted magnifying loupe.

In fact, I have noticed that almost everyone who uses this thing, quickly wants one of their own. (...) Recently a surgical colleague of mine helped me with a skin cancer screening clinic and ended up using my DermLite more than I did! I'm glad we had it with us, which is really a testament to how easy this thing is to carry around (since you always leave it in your coat pocket). If you like using a magnifying loupe you will like this better because it is a lighted magnifying glass on steroids. If you like dermatoscopes you will like this better because it's always with you and therefore can be deployed in seconds not minutes. If you have no experience with either, this is still a good time and a good instrument to get started doing dermatoscopy with, because it is the most practical, usable device I have ever seen for this purpose. Even if you never formally learn the principles of dermatoscopy, this is the best magnifying glass you've ever had in your hand.

Disclaimer: I do not have any stake in 3Gen or stand to gain from the sale of these instruments beyond obtaining a DermLite for one of my residents who needs it to help me screen patients for a clinical trial we are doing together."