Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis is a medical technique that utilizes low-level electrical currents to treat specific areas of the body, often while submerged in water. Primarily, it is used to manage hyperhidrosis, a condition characterized by excessive sweating in localized regions such as the hands, feet, and armpits. The method has historical roots dating back to the 1700s, but modern applications were significantly advanced by French biologist Stephane Leduc in the early 20th century. Initially performed in clinical settings, advancements in technology have enabled patients to use iontophoresis devices at home.
The treatment involves immersing hands and feet in shallow trays of water or using moistened pads for other areas, where mild electrical currents are applied for 15 to 40 minutes per session. Typically, patients undergo three sessions per week initially, with maintenance sessions required once sweat production is under control. Although the precise mechanism of action remains unclear, theories suggest that iontophoresis may block sweat ducts or affect nerve transmission. While it is generally safe, some patients may experience side effects like blisters or skin irritation. Additionally, iontophoresis is also used to deliver medications, such as topical anesthetics and anti-inflammatories, for various conditions.
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Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis is a medical technique that involves the application of low-level electrical currents to specific areas of the body, which are submerged in water during treatment. It is most widely used to manage hyperhidrosis, a medical condition marked by the excessive production of sweat in localized areas, such as the armpits, the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. Iontophoresis is also used to deliver drugs with anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, or antimicrobial properties directly to the skin.
Overview
There is evidence that rudimentary techniques similar to iontophoresis were used as early as the 1700s. However, the science behind modern forms of iontophoresis was largely developed by the French biologist Stephane Leduc in the early part of the twentieth century. By the 1940s, iontophoresis was being used to treat hyperhidrosis localized to an individual's hands and feet. Initially, only doctors in formal health care settings could administer iontophoresis treatments. In recent years, technological improvements have facilitated the development of simple but effective machines that generate low levels of electrical current, which patients can use to treat themselves at home.
For hyperhidrosis sufferers, iontophoresis is usually most effective when used on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, and it is generally less effective for the armpits and other areas of the body. Hands and feet are immersed in shallow trays of water during treatment, while other parts of the body can be saturated with water using moistened pads. Specialized devices then pass mild electrical currents through the water and into the targeted area(s). Currents are usually applied for periods of fifteen to forty minutes, and patients who are new to the treatment typically have to repeat these sessions about three times per week until the affected areas stop producing excessive sweat, which usually takes about two to four weeks. Patients typically require about one treatment per week to maintain their results once their hyperhidrosis is under control.
Doctors are not entirely sure how iontophoresis works to reduce the amount of sweat produced by specific parts of the body. One theory postulates that the ions generated by the iontophoresis procedure block the ducts that make sweat, while another proposes that these ions accumulate over time, triggering changes in pH levels that naturally reduce sweat production. A third hypothesis surmises that the mild electrical current interferes with normal nerve transmission in the localized area, thus disrupting the generation of sweat.
While iontophoresis has a very strong safety profile and does not usually cause pain, some patients experience side effects, including blisters, dry skin, peeling skin, and mild skin irritation. However, due to its relatively invasive nature, iontophoresis is usually recommended only if the patient's hyperhidrosis has not responded to frontline treatments, such as prescription-strength antiperspirants.
Beyond hyperhidrosis, iontophoresis can also be used to deliver drugs directly to a patient's skin. It is occasionally employed as a method of applying topical anesthetics such as lidocaine, and anti-inflammatories to treat bursitis, tendonitis, and other sports- and repetitive motion-related injuries. Iontophoresis also has value as a means of treating fungal infections affecting the nail plates of a patient's fingers or toes.
Bibliography
Chen, Yong, et al. "Cutaneous Biodistribution of Ionizable, Biolabile Aciclovir Prodrugs after Short-Duration Topical Iontophoresis: Targeted Intraepidermal Drug Delivery." European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, vol. 99, Feb. 2016, pp. 94–102.
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