The Whiteley Clinic - Home of Keyhole Surgery for Varicose Veins
The Whiteley Clinic Clinic Locations Contact    
Home
Sweating
Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)
Problems caused by Excessive Sweating
Treatments for Excessive Sweating
Summary
Getting referred to The Whiteley Clinic
Press Reports
Testimonials
Private Medical Insurance
IMPORTANT-patients insured with AXA PPP

The Whiteley Clinic on You Tube



Easy payment plans are available at The Whiteley Clinic - Just ask for information

Absolute Aesthetics - Aesthetic medicine - where beauty meets medicine

Buy stockings and support tights online

Navigation for the excessive sweat / hyperhidrosis treatment pages

Treatments Armpit / Axilla
Conservative treatment & drugs / medication Palms and Hands
Iontophoresis Head and Face
Botulinum Toxin - Botox ® and Dysport® Groins
Endoscopic Transthoracic Sympathectomy ETS Feet
Laser Sweat Ablation- LSA  

Iontophoresis

Iontophoresis is a technique of stopping sweating that has proven to be quite popular elsewhere in the world - but it has not become a very popular treatment in the UK.

In principle, the iontophoresis machine passes a very small electric current into the skin of the hands and / or feet. This seems to reduce or stop the eccrine sweat glands from producing sweat temporarily.

Many iontophoresis machines work by using tap water. It is important to use tap water as this has ions (charged particles) in the water that cause the iontophoresis effect. Pure distilled water does not work.

The water is sometimes put into trays and the hands and feet put into the trays. Other machines have sponges that absorb the tap water and then hold it next to the skin to be treated.

Treatments usually take 20 minutes per time and usually 6 are required in the first 3 weeks. Iontophoresis usually needs to be repeated every 6 weeks to 6 months depending on the individual.

Advantages of Iontophoresis:
Generally, iontophoresis machines are not very expensive and they use tap water. They are very safe.

In patients that they work for, they can give good relief. If they don't work, addition of glycopyrolate to the tap water can improve results.

There aren't any disposables (except occasionally batteries in some machines) and so treatments are quite inexpensive.

Problems with Iontophoresis:
The problems that crop up with iontophoresis tend to be split into:

It is a temporary treatment that need repeating

It has variable results

Iontophoresis - A temporary treatment
Now that so many treatments are available that are either long-lasting or permanent, many patients are not keen on a therapy that needs to be repeated regularly.

Iontophoresis - Variable results
Iontophoresis can produce variable results - not only depending on different patients but, as tap water varies around the country and around the world, there are likely to be different results depending on the different areas that is could be used on.



Contact The Whiteley Clinic

Click here to visit The Clinical Exchange - Office Based Surgery for varicose veins
© The Whiteley Clinic 2010 onwards | Company No: 04391217 | Graphic Design RT-Design
Registered Address:
The Whiteley Clinic, 1 Stirling House

Stirling Road, Guildford GU2 7RF
Tel: 01483 477180
Fax: 01483 477194
e-mail: info@thewhiteleylinic.co.uk