The efficiency and lastingness of tap water iontophoresis on idiopathic hyperhidrosis and comparison of the treatmental electrodes in the girl students of the Semnan university of medical sciences

Introduction: Sweating more than body physiological needs is known hyperhidrosis. Idiopathic hyperhidrosis involves 1% of the population. The patient who suffers palm hyperhidrosis encounters social, occupational and psychological problems. The most effective symptomatic treatment in idiopathic palmoplantar hyperhidrosis is tap water iontophoresis (TWI) on involved areas. There are little studies and wide controversies about lastingness and efficiency of treatmental electrodes in TWI, so evaluation of lastingness and efficiency of treatmental electrodes and side effects is the base of this study. Materials & Methods: 18 girls who suffer idiopathic palmar hyperhidrosis are treated ten session every other day so one hand with anodal electrode and the other with cathodal electrode are immersed in water containers and direct current is applied at 15 minute with 8-20 mA intensity. Sweating weight of the both hands before, after and two weeks after of treatment in 18 patients and in 32 healthy girls at 10 minutes is measured on the scale of the one thousandth grams. Results: There are significant changes in mean sweating weights of the same hands between healthy and involved groups. There are significant changes in mean sweating weights of the both hands at three evaluation sessions and no significant changes between electrodes at three evaluation sessions. There is no significant changes in mean sweating weight differences of hands at three evaluation sessions and no significant changes between electrodes at three evaluation sessions. The side effects after treatment were hand dryness in 14, burning sensation in 6 and redness in 11 persons that improved spontaneously two weeks after treatment. Conclusion: Both electrodes are effective similarly in TWI on idiopathic palmar hyperhidrosis and them lastingness is lesser than two weeks, also there is probability of the short term and transient side effects occurrence. 1- Increased membrane threshold of sweating cells and 2- alteration physiological responses of the sweating cells are two theories which explain concludes of this study.