Wearable device to treat hyperhidrosis

A team of Stanford researchers has invented a product that can be used to provide relief to patients with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), with a particular focus on palmar hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating of the hands). Palmar hyperhidrosis is a dermatologic condition that affects ~1-2% of Americans and has a dramatic impact on quality of life. However, current treatment options suffer from a variety of drawbacks. They can be: ineffective in many patients (antiperspirants); expensive (Botulinum toxin); risky and invasive (surgery); or inconvenient and uncomfortable (tap water iontophoresis). This new device overcomes those issues by applying the principles of iontophoresis without a tap water bath. Instead, electrical current is delivered through an electrode set powered by a wearable generator. For palmar hyperhidrosis, the electrode set can be combined with a specially designed glove to help maintain constant contact with overactive sweat glands while allowing freedom of movement. This improves comfort and convenience by reducing tingling sensations during therapy and decreasing the time dedicated to the treatment.

Stage of Research
The inventors have developed and bench-tested a prototype of the device. They also own intellectual property on other components of this wearable iontophoresis technology.