Iontophoresis is often considered first-line treatment for excessive sweating. Due to its minimal and minor side-effects and high efficiency, it is often recommended and prescribed by doctors to hyperhidrosis patients if topical antiperspirants are not effective enough. Iontophoresis is a non-invasive, drug-free, and needle-free way to treat excessive sweating by directing a mild current to the skin, which inhibits sweat production after regular and maintained use.
Treatments can be done in-person at clinics and hospitals, where treatments are done under the guidance of health professionals. However, this can be time consuming, and is not necessary. Most doctors will simply prescribe a home-use iontophoresis device to their patients, as the machines are easy to operate, do not require any monitoring, and provide convenience for their patients.
Iontophoresis treatment is divided into two stages: the initial phase and the maintenance phase. Treatment frequency depends on the severity of hyperhidrosis. The initial phase is when you are beginning your treatments and is done until you reach your desired level of dryness. The duration of this phase depends on the severity of your hyperhidrosis, as outlined in the chart below.
Following this initial phase, once dryness is achieved, to upkeep these results a maintenance schedule must be followed. Our maintenance treatment frequency is outlined below:
Dryness can be achieved with as little as one 15-20 minute treatment every few weeks!
Persistence, consistency, and creating a schedule that fits your needs and lifestyle are key to getting the most out of your iontophoresis treatments.
In a 2017 study on the impacts of hyperhidrosis on quality of life, 75% of participants reported that hyperhidrosis had an impact on their lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean that treatment has to disrupt your lifestyle as well. In fact by choosing a home-use device like Dermadry, you can seamlessly incorporate your treatments into your schedule, instead of disrupting it. There’s no need for recurring purchases, clinic visits, appointments, or risky procedures. You’re in control of your treatments, as they can be done anytime, and almost anywhere.
Are you ready to start your iontophoresis treatments? If so, or if you’re just looking for some motivation to keep up with your maintenance treatments, read on below to see how you can make the most out of your iontophoresis treatments.
Make a Plan
Based on your level of hyperhidrosis, which can be visually assessed by yourself, you will have to create your treatment schedule. As illustrated in the photos above, and in Dermadry’s Instructions for Use manual, whether you have mild, moderate, or severe hyperhidrosis will affect the frequency of treatments. The length of the treatment itself is the same, underarm treatments being 15 minutes, and hands and feet 20 minutes. So, before starting your treatment, read the information manual and see how many recommended treatment sessions are required to achieve dryness
If you’re unsure about your level of hyperhidrosis, think of it in terms of how much it impacts your life (mildly, moderately, or severely). Mild hyperhidrosis will present as constant dampness in the affected area, while severe hyperhidrosis is generally characterized as incessant dripping, and moderate hyperhidrosis ranges in the middle.
Adapt Treatments To Your Unique Lifestyle
You can do your iontophoresis treatments at any time of day, so you can easily incorporate it into your lifestyle. If you like to get things done in the morning then set aside 15-20 minutes to do your treatment while you get caught up on the latest news. If you’re more of a night owl, then make it a part of your nighttime routine, and do your treatment while reading a book, and right before brushing your teeth and washing your face before calling it a night.
Depending on where you are in your treatments, if you would rather set your treatments aside for the weekend, or get it done during the week, it’s up to you!
Make it a Part of Your Schedule
The portability and convenience that iontophoresis offers, means that it can be incorporated into the busiest of schedules without causing a disruption!
If you keep a work, school, or daily schedule, just flip through it to find a time that works for you, and pencil it in your calendar. You can also opt to put a reminder on your phone, this will help you remember to stick to your treatments, especially if you get particularly busy and it slips your mind. This is especially important in the initial phase, as you want to stick to your treatment plan in order to achieve your desired dryness!
If you are treating more than one area, then it's also up to you to decide if you want to space out your treatments, or treat all the areas consecutively.
Once you have successfully incorporated treatments into your schedule, you’ll make a habit out of it, and won’t forget! Before you know it, you’ll have to switch over to the maintenance phase, and you’ll easily be able to quickly adapt your schedule by just reducing the amount of times you have to do top-up treatments.
Incorporate Treatment In Your Self-Care Routine
If you already have a self-care routine, then great! You can easily include your treatment into it. Whether self-care for you means taking some time to yourself by reading a book or watching your favourite TV series, or includes pampering yourself with a face mask and eating popcorn, just take this time to relax and be productive at the same time. The treatment will be over before you know it, and you can just continue with the rest of your routine.
Use Your Time to Multitask
If you’d rather be productive during your treatments instead of sitting back and relaxing, then just use your time to catch up on work, study, read, or anything else you have to do. The 15-to-20 minute session can be all you need to catch up on a quick task, such as writing some emails (using speech-to-text if you’re treating your hands!) or organizing your weekly calendar.
Just Relax!
Alternatively, your treatments can be the 15-20 minutes you disconnect from the rest of the world. There’s no pressure to have to be doing something while doing your treatments, and sometimes it’s good to just sit back and just let the treatment take its course—it’s completely up to you.
Set up Rewards for Yourself
Need some motivation to get you through your initial treatment phase? Set up some rewards! Those who suffer from hyperhidrosis go through clothing faster than anyone else. Whether yellow sweat marks are ruining your shirts (a result of sweat mixing with the aluminum in your antiperspirants) or you keep ruining new shoes, sweat has definitely had an impact on your wardrobe. You may have restricted yourself to only wearing certain colours (shades of black) and avoided light colours because of a fear of visible sweat marks. Maybe you’ve stayed away from jelly shoes, heels, or thick boots because they make it impossible to feel comfortable while you’re constantly sweating profusely. Well, good news is that once you get your sweating under control, you’ll be able to restore your freedom of choice in your wardrobe and beyond (new hobbies, too!).
When you finish your treatments, reward yourself by adding a new item of clothing in a colour you would have never worn before, or a pair of shoes you couldn’t safely or comfortably wear before. Or, purchase it in advance and hang it up as a reminder to get through your treatments. While noticing a visible sweat reduction is going to be the best reward of all, these rewards can motivate you and help you feel your best! Hyperhidrosis can take a toll on many aspects of your life, so it’s good to treat yourself once you’ve accomplished something.
Keep a Treatment Journal
Document your sweat journey in a journal. Use it to keep track of when you did treatments, how it went, and if you noticed an improvement. This can help you keep track of any improvements or changes, and give you a more concrete idea of how long it took you to achieve dryness. You can include progress photos, as well as before and after shots, as a reminder and encouragement to follow through with your treatments. It can also help you to have a visual documentation of your progression.
This could be an online or physical journal, and the contents can remain private or can be shared online with others! Some have even chosen to document their journeys on YouTube or Instagram through photos and videos. It’s a matter of finding what works best for you, and how comfortable you are opening up about it. The more people open up about the topic, the more it will be normalized!
Join a Group
If you’re fortunate enough to know someone in your day to day life that also suffers from excessive sweating, then you can create a group to keep each other updated on your treatments and report back to each other. If you don’t know anyone in person, then join an online community! Social media is a great way to connect with others who also suffer from the same condition and therefore have similar lived experiences. If you’ve never searched the web for hyperhidrosis communities, you’ll be surprised as to how many people are using their platform to talk about the condition and raise awareness. From subreddits, to forums, Facebook groups, and blogs, there’s a space for everyone! Join in the conversation, share your experience, and take the opportunity to share your story and treatment history.
Read Up On It
Iontophoresis has been used to treat hyperhidrosis since the 1940s, and since then machines have undergone significant developments and improvements. There have been a lot of scientific studies on the efficiency and mechanism of action of iontophoresis as it relates to hyperhidrosis treatment. If you’re the type that likes to understand the science or want more concrete proof as to how and why iontophoresis treatment is considered one of the safest, most efficient, and most affordable hyperhidrosis treatments (especially in the long-term), read up on it!
Sometimes a little reassurance goes a long way, especially when searching for a solution. That’s why you’ll find a full list of contraindications and potential side-effects on Dermadry’s website. Additionally, you can find all of our certifications and compliances on our website. We want to provide you with all the information you need so you can make an informed decision and make sure that this is the treatment for you!
Talk to Us
There’s a lot of information circulating online about iontophoresis treatment, and sometimes a lot of that information is contradictory. What works for one person, may not necessarily work for another, or may not be recommended for a particular patient. Dermadry’s team of experts is here to help you and give you tailored advice!
While our device comes with an in-depth easy-to-follow instruction manual, our customer support and treatment experts are available through chat, phone, or email if you have any additional questions.
You’ll also find a lot of information on our previous blogs, and you can connect with us on social media @dermadry. Together, we’ll help you achieve your sweat-free goals!
These are some of our suggestions on how to get the most out of your iontophoresis treatments! They may work for some, and not for others, but it’s a matter of finding what works best for you. Do you have any suggestions? What do you like to do during your Dermadry treatments? Let us know in the comments!