Frequently Asked Questions
Hidroxa's co-founder Sandra Eriksson Mirkovic is responsible for providing you with answers about iontophoresis and hyperhidrosis. Sandra is a licensed physician with many years of experience in hyperhidrosis. Sandra gained her rich experience through research as well as practicing clinical work.
Questions about Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis is a method of treating excessive sweating using a machine that uses a very weak electrical current. You sit with your hands or feet in a water bath through which the current passes. Alternatively, in the case of other body parts, such as armpits, damp electrodes are put in the affected area through which the current passes. It is a machine intended primarily for domestic use.
Scientists are not quite sure why it works, but one hypothesis is that the ions in the water form a mechanical blockage that prevents sweat from coming out of the sweat glands, resulting in less sweating. Another theory is that the treatment affects the nerve impulses in the sweat glands which leads to reduced activity in the glands.
Recent studies suggest that iontophoresis increases the threshold value in the nerve cells so that more stimuli is required for an action potential, a signal to the sweat gland, to arise.
Iontophoresis can have a good effect on excessive sweating in up to 90-95% of the patients.
Most commonly, people who suffer from excessive sweating, hyperhidrosis, use the method. However, our iontophoresis machine is also used by people in sports, who have milder symptoms of sweating, where sweat reduction gives positive results on performance, such as improved grip function.
Iontophoresis requires time and dedication, at least in the beginning, to get the right settings and thus the best effect. If you know that you do not have the patience or time but instead you are looking for a quick fix, iontophoresis is not the method for you. Over time, once you get into the treatment and achieve what is called the "steady state", the desired effect, you can perform the treatments more seldom and the treatment becomes less time and energy-consuming.
The scientific studies made are mainly focused on hands, armpits, and sometimes feet. There are indications that some individuals have had a good effect when treating other areas, such as the face, but it has not been studied to the same extent.
If you perform the treatments correctly, you can expect (on average) about 12 treatments before noticing a large reduction of sweating in the treated area. Many feel that they now sweat normally and experience an improved quality of life.
Our iontophoresis machine is powered by batteries and is not connected to the wall socket when performing a treatment, as a precautionary measure. If you follow the regulations, not to perform treatments with metal implants your body (in the way of the current, ask us if you are unsure), have a pacemaker or if you are pregnant, you do not have to worry about iontophoresis being dangerous in any way.
Sure, it takes patience in the beginning, but really it's pretty simple. Watch our instructional video to find out more or contact us if you have more questions.
Do not use the machine if you are pregnant (as there are no studies on whether this is safe), have a pacemaker or metal implant in your body (in the way of the current, ask us if you are unsure).
Questions about the Treatment
No, but many people experience an itching/tingling feeling, like putting their tongue on a battery. Most people describe this as a slight discomfort, but the experience is of course subjective. Start with low current and then increase slowly.
Make sure you do not have any wounds or cuts on your skin. If you do, smaller wounds can be covered with a thick layer of for example Vaseline. Otherwise, the wounds/cuts may hurt. Using the pulsed current function can reduce possible discomfort.
Many users say that they notice results already in the first week. For most people, several weeks of daily treatment may be needed to achieve the full effect.
No. There is generally no known cure for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Surgeries, so-called sympathectomies (ETS) to treat hyperhidrosis of palms and armpits are still performed but should be avoided, due to troublesome or serious side effects. For underarm sweat, there are a couple of methods that are considered to lead to permanent results. You can read more about these on the hyperhidrosis page.
No, studies have shown that this is not the case. On the other hand, it is common for people to leave the routine when the problems decrease and then the sweat problems reappear.
We recommend that you start your treatment with 20 minutes daily for the first few weeks or until you achieve the desired result. However, there are different thoughts regarding how often you need to treat yourself and this probably varies a lot from person to person.
When you have achieved a good treatment effect, you can try to decrease the number of treatments per week gradually. You can aim for 1 treatment per week. Some individuals report that they only treat themselves every three or four weeks, but this is less common.
You can also try another schedule where you perform sessions of 20 minutes for the palms and 40 minutes for the feet day 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 15, 22, etc. for 4 weeks. Then once a week. It is usually required 12 times until the so-called steady-state, best effect, is achieved. Thus, 3 treatments/week for 4 weeks and then once a week.
Yes. Then you should have both hands in one container of water and both feet in the other. A higher current may be required. How good results are achieved is individual. Generally, the result is better if the hands and feet are treated separately.
The short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is that the device comes with electrodes for the treatment of hands, feet, and armpits and you need to buy a separate electrode to treat the face.
However, the scientific evidence and clinical experience for the treatment of the face with iontophoresis is not as good as for palms, feet, and armpits.
If you live in a place where the tap water is so-called "soft" water, you may experience poor or no effect of iontophoresis treatment. Then you can try adding 1 teaspoon of salt to each water container before treatment. We recommend everyone to add 1 teaspoon of salt to each water container to ensure that it contains enough ions.
It is important to be systematic when using an iontophoresis machine. All people are different and must find what works for them in terms of water, current, and treatment intervals. In many cases, it works well without any support from us, but other times it takes some patience before finding the right settings. Do not give up and please contact us if you get stuck!
Questions about Ordering
The machine is used in some clinics, mainly in the Nordic countries, but as of today, it can only be purchased online. You can easily order Hidroxa SE 20 iontophoresis machine here
Each time you order, you'll receive an order confirmation via email within 24 hours. If you haven't received any email updates about your order, it is likely our email was marked as spam. Check your spam folder, and if you still can't find your order confirmation email, please contact our customer support. We will be more than happy to further assist you.
For the Hidroxa SE 20 device, there is 50 days right to withdraw from the purchase. Unfortunately, for accessories purchased separately, we cannot offer open purchase. Read the Terms and conditions for further information.
The warranty is valid for 24 months and covers only original manufacturing defects.
Delivery time for standard delivery is 1-2 workdays within Sweden and 3-7 working days abroad, calculated from the day after you placed your order. You will then receive an SMS or email notification when the package is ready to be picked up. In some countries, the package will be delivered directly to your home address.
If you did not receive your order confirmation shortly after you placed your order, it could mean that something went wrong with your purchase. Contact Hidroxa's customer support for help.
Yes, it is. Read more about CE marking here.
Our Hidroxa SE 20 iontophoresis machine is easy to use and clinically tested for treating excessive sweating of palms, feet, face, and armpits.
Iontophoresis is a scientifically proven method that works for approximately 95% of our customers. You can reach its full effect with 12 treatments.