Iontophoresis is one of the several treatment options for Hyperhidrosis, and especially useful for Palmar hyperhidrosis. If you want to learn more about this treatment option, read this, this or this. Essentially, this treatment involves transmitting a very mild current through the affected area (hands, feet or face) and is administered using specialized devices called Iontophoresis Machine/Device.
The question I receive often on emails is my advise on which iontophoresis machine to buy. The answer to that depends on several factors including your location, whether or not insurance covers it, your budget and other criterion. This article provides a high level view of most popular iontophoresis machines available in market, their key features and prices. This is based on my understanding as of date and while I have made every possible effort to be objective and comprehensive in coverage, I do not make any claims of the following covering all the available options in the market (or being the best options in the market).
What is Iontophoresis
In short, tap water Iontophoresis is essentially a treatment where a low voltage current passes through thetap water, and then through the affected part of the body (e.g. hands, feet, face, underarm etc.). The exact mechanics of how iontophoresis works for treating hyperhidrosis, but its believed that the current passing through the affected part causes temporary irritation to the sweat glands and nervous system – thus causing less sweat production temporarily.
Iontophoresis machines are special medical devices used to administer iontophoresis treatment. WIth some training, its easy to self-administer iontophoresis treatments using one of such machines.
Just to give an idea, below are pictures of the most popular Iontophoresis machines available in the market today:
I really suggest to read about iontophoresis in more details here. This post provides a much more detailed understanding of what iontophoresis is, and how it works.
Top Iontophoresis Machines: Key Manufacturers
There are several manufacturers supplying iontophoresis machines for home use. The most well known manufacturers include Hidrex (Hidrex Website), Idromed (manufacturer Dr Hoenle Website), Iontex, Drionic, Dermadry, Iomed, Fisher Galvanic, Iontoderma, and IontoPlus among others
Most of these iontophoresis machines have similar components – a control unit to control the current, time etc, a pair of electrodes to dip hand/feet into, and a set of cables to connect to the current source and to the control unit.
However, the appearance can fool as beneath the hood, are several important features that you should consider while deciding which of these machines will be suitable for your specific purposes. The next section provides a high level overview of the key features for each of these.
Top Iontophoresis Machines: Comparison
The following table gives an overview of the top iontophoresis machines in the market. I hope this is useful for anyone considering to buy an iontophoresis machine as I have not yet seen a summary similar to this at any other online resource. Essentially, the most essential features that you should consider while selecting an iontophoresis device are – the type of current provided, the power source and the price (of-course). Then there are some features which are device specific. You can check out the reviews for some of these iontophoresis machines for more details.
Model | Current Type | Current Source | Price | More Info |
Hidrex PSP1000 | Direct/Variable Pulse | Main powered | $945 | Review, Buy, |
Hidrex DVP1000 (USA equivalent of PSP1000) | Direct/Variable Pulse | Main powered | $950 | Review, Buy (use Code HHN10 to get 10% off!) |
Hidrex GS400 | Direct | Main powered | $699 | Review, Buy |
Hidrex DP 450 | Direct/Pulse | Main powered | $695 | Review, Buy (use Code HHN5 to get 5% off!) |
Idromed 5 PC | Pulse | Main powered | $925 | Review, Buy |
Idromed 5 DC | Direct | Main powered | $725 | Review, Buy |
DermaDry | Direct Current | Main powered | $299 (Total), $279 (Hand/Feet only) | Review, Coupon Code – HHN10 for 10% off |
Iontoderma iD-1000 | Direct Current | Main powered | $399 | Details, Buy & get 15% off (use code HyperhidrosisNetwork15) |
Iontex 2 | Direct/Pulse | Main powered | $600 | |
Fischer Galvanic MD1a | Direct | Main powered | $649Rent:$49 per month | Review,Buy/Rent & get $50 off (use code hhn50) |
Fischer Galvanic MD-2 | Polarity Switching | Main powered | $899Rent:$59 per month | Review,Buy/Rent & get $75 off (use code hhn75) |
Drionic – Hand/Foot | Direct | Expensive batteries | $198 | Review, Buy |
Drionic – Underarm | Direct | Expensive batteries | $208 | Review, Buy |
Iomed | Direct | Standard 9 V Battery | $245 | |
Iontocure | Direct | Main Powered | $249 | Coupon Code – HHN10 for 10% off |
Do it Yourself Iontophoresis | Direct | Cheap battery | $40 | Review, Make |
So, the Bottomline?
As you see, there are more than enough options to buy iontophoresis machine to treat your hyperhidrosis condition. As I said earlier, there are several criterion you need to consider (and you can see those here), here is my advice in a nut shell.
If you live in US, and have insurance that considers iontophoresis a medically necessary treatment, your best bet is Hidrex DVP1000 or Hidrex DP 450. This is a great iontophoresis devices, and you save a non trivial sum if your insurance pays for it (as they should). To make it even sweeter, you should use the discount codes below:
- HHN10 at the checkout which gives you 10% off for Hidrex DVP 1000 Machines. You need to buy from here to get this discount
- HHN5 at the checkout which gives you 5% off for Hidrex DP 450 Machines. You need to buy from here to get this discount
If you live in Europe or if you don’t have an insurance , your best bet is Idromed 5 PS. Again its a great device with very good reviews, can be shipped worldwide, and comes with a money back guarantee for 60 days.
If budget is an issue, you can always build your own iontophoresis device. However, as I mentioned in another post, this option has mixed results and its definitely not as convenient as having a specialized device. Though its definitely an option.
Also check out the iontophoresis device recommender to identify the iontophoresis machine best suited to your specific situation.
Did I miss an iontophoresis device in the above list?
Please do let me know. While I tried to cover the top iontophoresis machines in the table above, I am sure I missed a few. Please leave a comment if you think any other iontophoresis device should have made this list, or send me an email. Ideally, I will want to build a list of all available options so that hyperhidrosis patients can take an informed decision about which iontophoresis machine to buy.
Next Step: Check out the guide to buying an iontophoresis machine .
If you arrived on this page from google, and want to understand all the options for Hyperhidrosis Treatment, read the Hyperhidrosis Treatment Primer
Key words: Popular iontophoresis Machines, Top Iontophoresis Machines, Best Iontophoresis Machines
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Hello, Can you tell me a bit about iontocure? No one has talked about it. I’m considering to buy it. Your help would really be appreciated.