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Iontophoresis is the passage of an electrical current onto the skin. Iontophoresis has a variety of uses in medicine. This article discusses the use of iontophoresis to turn off a particular sweat gland.

The area to be treated is placed into water. A gentle current of electricity passes through the water. A technician carefully and gradually increases the electrical current until you feel a light tingling sensation.

The therapy lasts about 10-20 minutes and requires several sessions.

How iontophoresis works isn't exactly known, but it's thought that the process somehow plugs the sweat glands and temporaily prevents you from sweating.

Iontophoresis may be used to treat excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) of the hands, underarms, and feet. Iontophoresis has been effectively used to treat such sweating since the early 1950s.

Side effects are rare but may include skin cracking and blisters.

Thomas I. Palmoplantar hyperhidrosis: a therapeutic challenge. Am Fam Physician. Mar 1 2004; 69(5): 1117-20.

Goetz, CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2003.

Updated by: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.