What is iontophoresis?

Iontophoresis is a technique that uses micro-courants to improve the penetration of active ingredients through the skin barrier. Unlike injections, this method is non-invasive.

Though research on iontophoresis started as early as the 16th century, the world would have to wait until the 20th century for the first experiments to prove that the method could be used to help certain molecules penetrate the skin barrier. Iontophoresis is founded upon the basic principle of electricity: similar charges repel each other and opposite charges attract.

In iontophoresis, positively charged molecules are pushed away by an anode towards a cathode, and vice versa for negatively charged molecules. An electrical current lower than 1 mA allows molecules to pass through the skin barrier.