Iontophoresis

Iontophoresis is a safe, noninvasive treatment that uses a mild electrical current to move substances through your skin. Healthcare providers often use it to reduce excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) or to deliver medications.

Treatments are short but usually need to be done several times a week at first. A provider can help determine if iontophoresis (pronounced “ahy-on-tuh-fuh-REE-sis”) is a good option for managing your symptoms.

What is iontophoresis used for?

Healthcare providers recommend this treatment for:

• Treating excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) in your hands, feet or underarms
• Helping medicines or skin treatments absorb through your skin for dermatology or cosmetic procedures

What are the types?

There are several types based on what the treatment uses:

• Tap water iontophoresis: This is the most common type that can treat excessive sweating. You place your hands or feet in trays of water while a mild electrical current helps reduce sweat production.
• Drug iontophoresis: This delivers medications through your skin. The electrical current helps push medicines into the treated area. These may include anti-sweating (anti-cholinergic) medications, anti-inflammatory drugs or anesthetics.
• Cosmetic iontophoresis: This helps ingredients in skin care treatments, like vitamins or antioxidants, absorb into your skin more effectively.

How does iontophoresis work?

Iontophoresis uses an electrical current to move substances through your skin or change how sweat glands work.

During treatment, your provider will place the treatment area in water or under moist pads. A device sends a small electrical current through your skin using two pads called electrodes. One is positive (anode) and one is negative (cathode).

The electrical current helps substances move through your skin in two main ways:

• Electromigration: Charged particles move away from the electrode with the same charge. For example, a positively charged particle moves away from the positive electrode and into your skin. This helps push certain substances through your skin’s barrier.
• Electro-osmosis: The electrical current causes a gentle flow of fluid through your skin. This fluid can carry other substances along with it.

When iontophoresis treats excessive sweating, the current passes through water and your skin. This process is thought to temporarily block sweat from reaching your skin’s surface, possibly by affecting your sweat ducts, disrupting nerve transmission or changing the pH within sweat glands. As a result, it reduces sweating in the treated area. The exact way this happens isn’t fully understood, but many people have less sweating after treatment.

What happens during iontophoresis?

The exact process varies based on where on your body you’re getting treatment and what type of treatment you need.

Here’s an example of what you might expect if you’re getting tap water iontophoresis for hyperhidrosis:

1. You place your body part (hands or feet) into shallow trays filled with tap water. If it affects your underarms, your provider will use wet electrode pads.
2. The device turns on and sends a mild electrical current through the water and your skin.
3. The current slowly increases until you feel a gentle tingling sensation. You shouldn’t feel any pain.
4. The treatment continues for about 20 to 30 minutes.

You’ll need to have a treatment done several times a week to get results.

Benefits and risks of iontophoresis

Iontophoresis has several benefits, including:

• It reduces excessive sweating.
• It’s noninvasive, meaning no surgery or injections.
• It can be done at home with a personal device after guidance from a provider.
• It targets only the treated area, instead of affecting your whole body.
• It may offer long-term relief with regular maintenance treatments.

Most side effects are mild and temporary. The most common ones include:

• Skin irritation
• Dry skin
• Mild skin discoloration
• Tingling during or shortly after treatment
• Occasional small blisters

Is iontophoresis safe for everyone?

This treatment is safe for many people, but it isn’t recommended for everyone. You shouldn’t use this treatment if you:

• Are pregnant
• Have a pacemaker
• Have a metal implant in the area being treated (like a joint replacement)
• Have a heart condition
• Have epilepsy

Talk with your healthcare provider before starting treatment to make sure this is safe for you.

When will I see results from iontophoresis?

It usually takes one to two weeks for symptoms to improve. You’ll then switch to maintenance treatments. This often happens about once a week.

If needed, your provider may adjust the water or add medication to improve results. Regular treatments maintain the results and keep symptoms managed.