In May 2009, I received a HIDREX iontophoresis machine from Germany to test for my feet sweating, which had exacerbated significantly since 1998 when I had endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy to successfully cure my hand sweating. The manufacturer of the machine, HIDREX GmbH (based in Germany), guarantees that 98 percent of people who use their iontophoresis machine to treat palmar and/or feet sweating experience a successful outcome. I was very skeptical with this claim, especially since I saw no results from using the very basic Drionic iontophoresis machine a few years earlier. I had also tried Dehydral, Drysol and Klima products on my feet, but saw no results. In fact, Klima offered me commission to sell their products via my website in case the free samples they sent me worked. Deodorant type foot powders and sweat sucking insoles were also entirely ineffective for me. One often cited study concluded a success rate of 83 percent for treatment of hyperhidrosis with iontophoresis, so this 98 percent success rate claim by the manufacturers of HIDREX seemed like an obvious exaggeration to me.
I was the first person in the US to get the HIDREX machine, and therefore had to purchase a travel adapter to enable the machine's round pin plug to fit into a US square pin socket. The machine works with the typical US voltage of 110-120 volts. I got the latest HIDREX PS 500 machine with steel plates instead of aluminum ones (since steel lasts longer than aluminum and is more resistant to corrosion). I was a bit nervous about potentially electrocuting myself once my feet were in the trays (since this machine is powered via the wall outlet and not via a standalone battery), but decided to go ahead and try it out after probably a day of hesitation!
Using HIDREX to treat feet sweating: |
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It took me several days before I figured out how to change the default hand sweating setting to feet sweating, which has a higher 30 voltage treatment parameter (the instruction manual seemed to have an error that confused me since it says "User" key instead of "Memo" key in several places). Thereafter, I experimented with the depth and temperature of the water to find an ideal level of each for me. After three weeks of daily treatments (each lasting 15 minutes), I finally noticed good results, and a few days after that, I could wear shoes or sandals without wearing socks for the first time since I was a very young boy! The feet sweating had completely ceased. I can now sleep comfortably every day without having to wash and dry my feet before going to bed, and I can now play sports without coming home with white bumps on the sides of my toe where the sweat and shoe and sock cause friction. Since the initial success, I have been treating myself 2-3 times a week, using warm water at a fairly shallow depth level that seems to give best results. I will keep my fingers crossed that this is not a temporary success and will update this page infrequently. I have also verified that the voltage reading on the display is precise by measuring the voltage at the connecting leads of the machine using a multimeter.
UPDATE July 30th 2009: Still having excellent results. Moreover, I have only been treating my feet once a week for the past month.
UPDATE August 2nd 2009: Tried going 8 days without treatment, but today my feet started sweating again (around 60 percent as bad as they used to before this success). Will try never going more than 7 days without treatment from now on.
UPDATE October 17th 2009: So much for the above statement! I went on a trip to England for two weeks at the end of August, and did not take the machine with me. My feet started sweating heavily in the second week in England and since then I have had my feet sweat a lot on some days even though I have stuck to the twice a week treatment schedule. It seems like I might have to treat the feet two weeks in a row again prior to getting back on the twice a week schedule.
UPDATE November 8th 2009: I am working in England again, and this time I took the machine with me. US Customs opened my checked-in luggage because of the machine, and left a thank you note. Still preferable to the attention I received when taking Drionic with me in my carry-on and causing a bomb scare.
The HIDREX machine did not work well in England, and it could be because the water is different (soft and not hard). It seems like water type and mineral content makes a huge difference in treatment success. Some internet posters have recommended using certain types of bottled mineral water brands in place of tap water, and one poster even had great results using rain water. In future, I will try these variations out and make a page about it on this site. Hard water seems to be better than soft water if you want a successful outcome.
UPDATE February 2010: At the beginning of February 2010, I stared using the Idromed iontophoresis device that was mailed to me from Germany to test. In the first month of usage, I have seen great results.
The HIDREX machine is clearly superior to the much less costlier Drionic in the following ways:
With the HIDREX PS 500 machine, you do not need to worry about reverse polarity. The main disadvantages I see are that the machine's cost is significant (probably around $800-$900) and the manual says it should be replaced or checked every four years (although Markus suggests that this is not necessary and largely meant for doctors and clinics). The HIDREX console (which has all the controls and the display screen on it) seems light and can probably be damage easily if dropped, so if you travel with it, pack it carefully. Drionic is much sturdier because it comes with no console. The English instruction manual that comes with HIDREX is a bit disorganized, but with some time you can figure out what to do. The manufacturer does have a detailed manual online in German.
If you can't afford this machine or do not trust that iontophoresis works, you could try making the much cheaper homemade iontophoresis unit first. However, the homemade unit has less chances of working than HIDREX, can cause burns (read all the comments underneath that video) and requires reverse polarity related mid-treatment changes. Moreover, the homemade machine will require battery replacement.
To purchase the HIDREX machine in the US (provides worldwide delivery), contact Markus Bindner (his website has English sections for everything too):
HIDREX US/International Purchase Link (also click on banner above)
To purchase the HIDREX machine in the UK:
To learn more about the HIDREX machine, check out the manufacturer's website:
There are more results posted in the forum for HIDREX on this site: